AlD—Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, September 12,1981
And it's going to be a close race.
As we come around the first turn, it’s
Farmer Brown out in front with a four-row
silage harvester lead. Not far behind though,
with heart and stamina driving him on, is
Farmer Smith astride his old-faithful two-row
‘chopper’.
Perhaps you might not get the feeling that
every farmer is.running a race to get their corn
silage chopped and packed away in the fastest
time, but it sure feels that way to me. Why, the
way those machines are running almost day
and night, you’d think everybody wants to get
their name at the top of the list in the Guiness
World Book of Farm Records.
Spurring on the racers, the weather has
been the best cheering section for those
farmers who were chomping at the bit back in
August to start tearing up the field. Hot, dry
weather pushed those high-as-a-hairy
mammoth’s-eye stalks and ears to an early
maturation so that farmers almost had to toss
a coin to see whether to make third-cutting
hay or corn silage.
The early starters lead the pack, pushing
their succulant silage high into upright silos of
assorted colors as the whir of unloaders cheer
each contestant on. Other farmers are joining
in the race by the score, trying to get over the
obstacle course of corn before the autumn
weather pushes the crop to a dried and dented
finish.
Just this past week, for the very first time,
my husband Mike and I decided to enter that
grueling competition. Having made our debut
into the field of farming on our own, we were
ecstatic when our corn actually came up last
May, watched it grow knee-high by July 4, and
prayed for rain in August to help those golden
ears fill withkernals.
Now, it's harvest time. And we, too, are
experiencing those anxiety pangs and the
pressures of racing to get that corn off the
field.
But, unlike many seasoned farmers, we
haven’t gotten to the point where luxuries like
trenches or metallic towers have been erected
on the farm to cure our corn silage as a
NOW IS THE TIME
To Fertilize Alfalfa Stands
The Fall of the year is one of the
best times to apply phosphorus and
potash to establish alfalfa stands.
Many growers will topdress the
field after the last cutting is
removed. In addition, the stand
can be fertilized next spring after
the first cutting is removed. When
the plants are fertilized in the Fall
they will be stronger next summer.
Since alfalfa is a very heavy
feeder of both phosphorus and
.potash, these elements must be
replaced for top yields. If the area
is to be grazed in the fall instead of
removing the final cutting, these
fertilizer elements should be
washed down with a rain before
livestock are permitted on the
field; bloating may result if grazed
soon after application. Use the
application rates as recommended
on your soil test results.
To Identify Johnsongrass Areas
There are many farms in this
part of the country that have
Johnsongrass problems. This
Off the
Sounding
By Sheila Miller, Editor
On the home stretch
By Jay Irwin.
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
Phone 717-394-6851
sudan-like grass grows very rank
and will take over a field in a very
few years. A few plants this year
without control will result in
hundreds of plants in the area next
year. Farmers should mark the
area of infestation so that treat
ment can be applied properly. On
fields where small grain was
harvested the re-growth of
Johnsongrass can be sprayed with
Roundup when 30 to 36 inches in
height In corn fields the treatment
should be next spring before the
com is planted. The attention to
control Johnsongrass is very
important.
To Protect Show Animals
September, in Lancaster County,
is fair time. It is also a time to be
concerned about the health of showv
animals. Our dairy agent, Glenn
Shirk, emphasizes that fairs should
be a place where we can exhibit
our animals; they should not be a
place for spreading diseases and
other ailments. Be considerate of
other exhibitors and of other show
matter of fact, we’re still working on a barn.
But, with the advice of our local Extension
agent and countless references, we've gotten
silage-wise and have even come up with a barn
design we both agreed on.
With all that information, facts and formulas
digesting in our brains, we ‘constructed’ our
first mountain of maize. By moonlight, we
tucked our aromatic mound under a blanket of
black plastic anchored with ground turned
over by an old, very-much used three-bottom
drag plow that joined our ever-increasing
inventory of used equipment.
Now we wait for nature to do its work and
pat ourselves on the back for having actually
crossed the finish line, even if it was only on
a small scale and with the help of our neigh
bor’s custom equipment. We can relax for a
few days and catch our breath while we plan
our strategies for the next race when we'll be
trying to beat the elements, wind, and snow,
from stealing our grain from the dried and
worn out stalks.
- Reaping the fruits of labor must certainly
give each farmer satisfaction remember
how great it felt to have- finished your first
harvest?
Take it from me, we're floating on Cloud
Nine and our crops didn't even come close
to setting the world record or even Lancaster
Farming’s record. But, we are thrilled that our
crops the silage, grain, and hay some
how beat the odds in the gamble of farming
and our growing herd of Polled Hereford cattle
will be content and well fed with bellies full.
Unfortunately though, during such a joyous
time, it is often a time of sadness.-Whether it’s
carelessness, freak accidents, or fate, this
time of year is notorious for maiming and
marring the lives of farm families.
We all were shocked and saddened to learn
that this harvest season has already claimed
the life of one member of the Lancaster
County farm family bringing our farm ac
cident losses to six this year.
Please, take the time to be careful. In the
race of life, you don't want to finish first.
animals. If your animals have any
infectious or contagious problems,
leave them at home; it’s like
keeping a sick child out of school to
protect those who are healthy. If
you do show, consult your
veterinarian about necessary tests
and protective vaccines. Of par
ticular concern at many of this
year’s shows is pseudorabies.
Many fairs are requiring that
hogs be negative to a PRV test
conducted within 30 days of the
show - a good requirement! At the
show, hogs should be kept isolated
from other stock. If hogs are to be
returned to the farm after the
show, isolate them from other hogs
and livestock on the farm, and.
have' them retested before in
troducing them to their ’'herd
mates.
Many lawn- owners report
damage from various kinds of
worms, insects and moles; also at
this time of year the Japanese
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Board
To Grab-Proof Lawns
THE SHEPHERD IN
YOUR HOUSE
September 13,1981
Background Scripture:
Psalms 23.
Devotional Reading:
John 10:7-18.
Whenever I take a poll for people
to list their three favorite scripture
passages, the 23rd Psalm is always
one of the three and often it leads
the list. It is also usually the best
known of all Bible passages. If a
person has committeed any part of
the Bible to memory either fully
or partly it is likely to be Psalm
23.
The reason for this enormous
popularity is no‘ mystery: it is
filled with comfort and assurance.
What the Psalmist says about the
Good Shepherd is what everyone
wants to find in their experience of
God. For one thing, the analogy of
the shepherd and his sheep, even
though 'hardly a contemporary
image for most of us, is still very
descriptive of the way we want to
view our relationship with God
particularly when we are in need of
him. Even those of us who have
never seen a shepherd, nor even,
perhaps, a flock of sheep know that
it is a very deep and comforting
type of relationship.
My Cup Overflows
Secondly, the 23rd Psalm, em
phasizes that God provides for our
basic daily needs. Just as l Jesus
taught his disciples to pray, “Give
us this day our daily bread” the
Psalmist witnesses that “Thou
preparest a table before me . . .
OUR READERS WRITE,
« *’t
AND OTHER OPINIONS
How do you treat your pet dog?
Your latest editorial diatribe on
animal rights prompts this letter to
express my acute disgust with
your limited mentality. 1 am no
city slicker—l was raised on a
farm afid now have a farm.
You obviously have never had to
contend with suffering, and know
nothing about animals to believe
they do not feel or suffer. It would
be delightful to'drag you out of that
comfy editor’s chair, load you upin
a cramped cattle car with several
loose floorboards,'haul you around
for at least two or three days
without food or water, and then box
HAV HAWS
-l: .
m
i -
“You said you didn’t care how I got myself in gear to
just get out there and get that silage wagon. How's that for
4-wheei drive?”
thou anointest my head with oil,
my cup overflows” (Psalms 23:5).
Our circumstances in life may
vary greatly from those of others,
but none of us are ever exempted
from recognizing and confessing
that in any and all circumstances
our “cup overflows.”
A third attraction to the 23rd
Psalm is its assurance of comfort
in time of need, particularly at the
time of fear and death. Unseen by
thejmman eye, God is experienced
as present with us when we “walk
through the valley of theshadow of
death.” “Thy rod and they staff,
they comfort me,” is a conviction
that, whatever the danger or
threat that confronts me, God’s
presence with me will be suf
ficient.
Next, the 23rd Psalm testifies to
the experience of God’s power to
renew our lives when life has taken
its toll. Exhausted, “he makes me
lie down in green pastures” (23:2).
Weak and tired, “he leads me
beside still waters,” Depleted and
worn out with pressures of daily
living, “he restores my soul. ”
Fifth, the 23rd Psalm reminds us
that God will lead those who are
willing to be led by him. Daily we
face choices, decisions, and
questions, but we do not have to
face these alone.- He will lead us.
There is a purpose in life and he
wil) help me find it. __
I, He and Thee
But today I’d like you to see one
more thing in this familiar Psalm
that perhaps you’ve never seen
there before. Yes, it is a testimony
and assurance of comfort and help
for each of us, it does tell us what
we can expect from God, but see it
today as an indication of what God
can expect from you! More than
comfort, it is also a challenge. For,
if he is your shepherd, then you, if
you comprehend what God is. all
about, must know that he wants
you to be a shepherd to others. You
are the shepherd in* your house ..
.and beyond!
you up in a nice little dark stall
with room only to stand up and lie
down for several weeks to fatten
up. However, considering the
thickness of your hide, I doubt
you'd be edible.
The realities of farming can be
conducted without inflicting undue
suffering on the creatures we
maintain to serve our needs. And a
lot of things aren’t really needed
but keep' us in spoiled
luxury—such as prime veal. This
earth was not created for man
alone to despoil and do with as be
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