Alo—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 18,1981
Looking to
There’s a wave of an
ticipate excitement surging
through the pipelines of
Maryland Milk Producer
Cooperative members these
days At a time when other
milk cooperatives are gazing
with some skepticism at the
future, these foresighted dairy
producers are contemplating a
move that will help to insure a
brighter, more stable market
for their milk sales.
The Maryland Co-op
members, counting many
Pennsylvania producers in
their ranks, have been actively
seeking a method for im
proving their options during
the past year. They seem to
have found what they’ve been
looking for in a possible
merger with Dairymen, Inc , a
progressive co-op boasting
6,800 members and a strong
Class I marketing plan
If the Maryland Co-op
members elect to tuck
themselves under the wing of
Dairymen as a proposed Mid-
Atlantic division, this would
bring the membership of dairy
producers up by 1,200 The
old addage of strength in
numbers will allow the
producers to spread their
assessment costs across a
larger base. Of course, profits,
too, would have to be dealt out
to more members.
NOW IS THE TIME
To Be Aware of Farm Safety Week
National Farm Safety Week
starts July 25 and runs through
July 31.
This week is set aside to remind
us of the importance of safety. The
most recent Pennsylvania safety
estimates show at least 53 state
residents died in farm accidents in
1980.
Tractor accidents resulted in the
most fatalities last year. In many
cases, the operator overturned the
machine in the held or was thrown
from the tractor and run over.
Other cases involved small
children as extra riders and in
juries from equipment trailing the
tractor.
There were fewer fatal accidents
involving machinery other than
tractors last year than in 1979. In
1980 there were three fatal ac
cidents reported which involved a
combine, silo conveyor belt and
corn dump.
The total number of fatal ac
cidents reported so far this year is
lower than it has been in the last
four years. We hope this continues.
Let’s develop safe habits and
practice them everyday.
To Graze Sudan and
Sorghum Grasse* Carefully
Some livestock producers plant
sudan grass or one of the hybrid
Off the
So mdi'mg
By Sheila Miller, Editor
6 big brother 9
For all immediate purposes,
this seems to be the shot in
the arm the doctors called for
in the case of this viable
Maryland co-op By teaming
up with Dairymen, what was a
seemingly ‘insignificant’ co-op
would now have a stronger
voice and more impact on
policy making on a national
basis.
The cooperators would also
have the advantage of the
larger co-op’s technological
advances the production of
sterile milk for a potentially
significant international
market Here at home, they
continue to peddle large
quantities of milk 10 the
growing population in the
sunny south Diarymen’s
mam marketing area
Although not every small
milk cooperative has the
chance or the desire to link up
with ‘big brother’ co-op, this
appears to be a beneficial
move for this particular group
Unfortunately, in this day and
age, bigger does equate
better
The larger the team, the
greater the force behind its
plays. Legislators tend to sit
up and take more notice to a
group that speaks for
thousands of dairy producers.
What also is encouraging for
the Maryland Co-op members
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
Phone 717-394-6851
sorghums for extra summer
pasture. These grasses have the
ability to grow well during the heat
of the summer. However, they
should be managed carefully in
order to prevent livestock
poisoning.
When the sudan grass is grazed
or green-chopped before it is 18
inches high, and if the sorghum
hybrids are used before they are 24
to 30 inches high, there is danger of
prussic acid poisoning. There is
greater danger with the sorghum
hybrids.
After the herd or flock has
grazed the area, it should be
clipped high, and then the
regrowth allowed to reach the
same length before using as fresh
feed.
Horses should not be allowed to
graze oi eat either of these two
forage crops. It has been blamed
tor causing urinary bladder in
fection m equines.
Manage sudan grass and
sorghums carefully for best
results.
Chemical herbicides are used
quite commonly these days when
trying -to control weeds This
requires our sprayers to be used
for a number of purposes.
To Be Careful
With Sprayers
Board
yeas and 6 nays 9
is that Dairymen is a young,
innovative organization not
tied into the “way things used
to be" thinking. This co-op
initiated the cull cow program
in an effort to reduce the milk
glut experienced this year,
asking its members to unload
those old gram guzzlers whose
milk output helped keep milk
tanks near to overflowing
It is anticipated that the
Maryland Co-op members will
benefit greatly from the in
creased marketing area and
the more widespread
production season. While
fellow members in Florida and
Alabama are experiencing the
spring flush around March,
Maryland and Pennsylvania
cows will just be gearing up for
their top production period of
April-May.
Maryland Co-op members
should be congratulated for
planning ahead even when
things are running relatively
smoothly and the pocketbook
isn’t being pinched. Whether
or not the proposed merger
will come to pass depends on
the yea’s and nay’s of the
producers.
We have seen several cases ot
herbicide damage on tobacco this
year. Most were due to improper
sprayer cleaning before treating
the tobacco field.
Chemical weed killers such as
2,4-D will stick to the sprayer
equipment for years, unless
soaked and washed with ammonia
water and other strong detergent.
It is best to flush the sprayer and
hoses with clean water before
filling and finish with the ammonia
water.
To Feed New
Grains Carelully
The winter barley and wheat
crop is now in the bin on most
farms.
It these grains are to be ted, it is
suggested the teeder go easy at
hrst m order to prevent scours or
bloating m animals. It the gram is
allowed to “cure” or go through
the sweat period tor two to three
weeks, it will be sater to use.
A small percentage ot the teed
mixture (. 10 to 20 percent) would be
a starting place and then gradually
increase the amount. In the case ot
wheat, use a smaller amount
because ot the nature ot the
cracked gianis and the dangei ot
digestive trouble
Make changes in any ration
gradually tor best results
HOW COME?
July 19,1981
Background Scripture:
Deuteronomy 6:16 through
7:26; 9:4,5
Devotional Reading:
Nehemxahl.4-llb.
“How come we have to go to that
old church again?” a teenage son,
summoning courage at last,
demanded of his father. With a
withering look that the teenage son
could have misinterpreted, the
father replied: “I’ll show you ‘how
come’ if you want! ” The son’s chin
sank to his chest to hide his clen
ched teeth as he turned and walked
away in defeat. The father also
turned away, having prevailed
once again, he put the question
from his mind
When Your Son Asks
But the father’s "victory” was
actually a “defeat,” for he missed
a golden opportunity to help his son
to understand and appreciate the
reason behind the seemingly
repetitive and meaningless
ceremonies of their church life. He
forgot—assuming that he once
knew—that when we explain some
of the “whys” of our religious life,
we can remove some of the
barriers to understanding and
motivation.
In Deuteronomy, Moses lays it
out with beautiful simplicity when
he instructs the fathers of Israel:
When your sons asks you in tune
to come, "What is the meaning of
the testimonies and statues and the
Farm Calendar
Today, July 18
Penn State Horse Field Day, 10
a.m.. Old Horse Barn, mam
campus
Conservation Bus Tour, Hunterdon
Co., New Jersey, tor more in
formation call Extension, (201)
782-3915.
Sluppensburg Community Fair,
- Sluppensburg, until Saturday
Dairy Goat Field Day, 1-4, Jacob
Fisher Farm, Manheun
Monday, July 20,
Bth National Junior Polled
, Hereford Heifer Show, Kansas
State Fairground, Hutchinson,
Kansas, continues through
Friday
Kimberton Community Fair,
Kunberton, until Saturday
Jefferson County Town and
Country Fair, until Saturday
HAV HAWS
I’d say that old Tom has been there for some
time now.
ordinances which the Lord our God
has commanded you?” then you
shall say to your son, “We were
Pharoah’s slaves in Egypt; and the
Lord brought us out of Egypt with
a mighty hand; and the Lord
showed signs and wonders...(Deut.
6.20-23).
The question “why?” is a
natural one for our youth, so, in
stead of feeling threatened or
challenged by it, seize the op
portunity to put some reasons to
the faith we follow. Tell them what
God has done for his people. For
the Jewish faith this question has
become an integral part of the
celebration of the Passover in the
home. The whole purpose of the
Passover meal and ceremony is a
structured answer to the Jewish
youth’s anticipated question of
"why?” Thus, at each Passover
meal, the outline of God’s saving
acts in history are recounted to
remind the elders and inform the
youth of the reasons that he behind
their Jewish heritage.
A God Who Keeps Covenant
The question of “why?” is also
an opportunity for us to tell, not
only what God has done for his
people as a whole, but ourselves in
particular. I go to that “old
church” Sunday after Sunday—
despite the fact that the sermons
don’t always interest me, the
music’s not what I’d like it to be,
and the ritual is sometimes ob
scure—because of what God has
done for me in my life. And 1 read
that “old book” because—although
I sometimes don’t understand it
and some parts leave me “cold”
because my own experience in life
confirms its major themes: that of
all the things 1 can depend upon is
the faithful love of God. That’s the
kind of answer we can give when
we take our responsibility
seriously.
When your children ask you,
“How come’”, what will you say?
Tuesday, July 21
Shippensburg Fair FFA and 4-H
Show and Sale, Show 10-2, sale 6
p.tn.
Jetferson Township Fair, Mercer,
until Saturday
Dover held days, continues
through Wednesday, York
plowing contest
Delaware Irrigation Field Day,
Louis O’Neal tarm, Laurel 6:30
p.m.-9p.m.
Lancaster Co. Ag. Council 7:30,
Lan. Chamber Ottice
Wednesday, July 22
Lancaster County 4-H Roundup,
Solanco Fairgrounds
1981 PA state plowing contest,
Dover
Conneaut Township Fair, Con
neautville, until Saturday
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