Alo—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 17,1981
How about being cooperative?
Cooperative.
Webster defines this word as:
working or acting together wiflingly
for a common purpose or benefit: a"
jointly owned means of production or
distribution of goods or services
operated by the consumers for their
mutual benefit.
Such a simple idea for this multi
syllabled word people working
together toward a common goal that
will benefit all.
Since October has been
designated nationaj Cooperative
Month, it's only fitting to comment on
what cooperation has done for
agriculture and rural areas.
For starters, life in the country
would not be as easy for many folks
without the energy cooperative, the
Rural Electric Association. This
teaming of efforts made it possible
for electricity to become available at
reasonable cost to people living on
farms and in rural areas in the early
part of this century.
Then, take the various bull studs
throughout the country that bring «
the tops in genetics to ‘everyday’
farmers’ barns for an affordable
price. These co-ops have helped lead
the way in production capabilities of
dairy and beef herds throughout the
U.S., and have saved countless
farmers’ lives with the elimination of
bulls on every cattle farm. \
Marketing and consumer co-ops
have helped farmers and others sell
their produce and livestock for better
prices, and have given bargaining
powers to individual farmers that
would be perhaps unattainable to
them when dealing alone.
Being part of a cooperative effort is
nothing new for farmers. Ever since
the time the Indians showed the
inexperienced pilgrims how to use
fish to fertilize corn, there has been a
sense of cooperation in U.S.
agriculture. Pioneers on ventures to
the untamed West would not have
survived in many cases without the
pooling together of labor and sup
plies to build homes, barns and
cultivate their crops.
There is still a great deal of
NOW IS THE TIME
To Inspect Heating Systems
With colder weather just around
the corner, many types of heating
units will come into use. In order to
prevent the potential for fires and
other problems, we suggest that all
chimneys and flues be checked for
cracks and places where sparks
can escape.
In this part of the country
tobacco sheds have stoves to
provide comfort for the winter job
Off the
Sounding
By Sheila Miller, Editor
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
Phone 717-394-6851
of stripping tobacco. Many of these
have been in operation for years
and may need some attention. The
mortar around pipes and between
bricks may have fallen out; in
many cases a repointing job with
mortar will make the system much
safer.
Don’t take chances on a faulty
system; it could start a major barn
fire or the fumes could cause
suffocation.
i
Board
cooperation on U.S. fa K ms Viday.
Concerned people work together for
various legislative actions that will
safeguard agricultural land for
generations to come. >
And, when misfortune strikes a
neighbor, friends and relatives stiM
team together to rebuild, whether
it’s the moral fiber of the family or a
structure razed by fire.
And when it comes to lending a
guiding hand to a young upstart in
the business, farmers are sure in
luck. For starters, there’s the
Cooperative Extension Service, a
gold mine of information on just
about a zillion subjects, and the
Federal Land Bank ‘fives’ out a
slightly lesser amount in finance
funds the former without and the
latter with fee.
Where old-timers in other
businesses guard their trade secrets
like hawks, seasoned farmers delight
in sharing what they know with
young farmers through 4-H and FFA
clubs, along with Young Farmers
organizations. After all their
‘educating’ is shared, farmers
usually get a good chuckle as young
proteges attempt to emulate their
‘teachers’ with skills still rough
around the edges, unpolished by
years of experience.
Cooperation goes hand in hand
with the farm family way of life.
Brothers and sisters pitching in to
get the chores done, parents working
side by side to make ends meet. It’s
that pride in their work and in each
other that keeps them going strong
in spite of all the rough times and
long hours.
And, as a wise person said at a
time when no one noticed who was
speaking, “There are few, if any, jobs
in which ability alone is sufficient.
Needed also are loyalty, sincerity,
enthusiasm, and cooperation."
That is just as true in farming as in
any other career.
And, although there will always be
differences of opinion in and outside
of the farm community, the spirit
cooperation will help to sustain
agricultural friends and neighbors for
generations to come.
To Practice
Good Public Relations
Farmers should be concerned
about their image in the comr
munity. In most cases it’s very
good, and also the majority of non
farm people in the rural areas
respect and needs and problems of
the farmer. The image can be
improved by getting better
(Turn to Page Al 2)
THE INNER HUNGER
October 18,1981
Background Scripture:
Micahfi
Devotional Reading:
Jeremiah9:7-11.
A certain nationally notorious
and outspoken atheist is often
reviled for her abrasive denial of
God. What God really thinks about
her is something that, as far as I’m
concerned, is best left to God and
the woman herself. As I see it, the
greatest danger in our society is
not from those who deny God’s
existence, but from those who
affirm it but don’t agree with or
like what God expects of-us.
There are many, many people
both in church and outside it-who
believe in God, but who have never
let that belief deter .them from a
way of living that is contrary to
what God requests of his believers.
Believing in God is not all that
difficult, but, what is difficult, is
letting that belief direct the way
we live in this world.
WHAT PLEASES GOD?
Part of our problem is that, when
we personally respond ‘ to the
reality of God, we want to do it our
way. It’s like buying a birthday
present for someone, not because
we know they’ll like it but because
we like it. The history of { the
religions of the world is the history
of people giving God presents he
never asked for and does not really
want
OUR READERS WRITE,
AND OTHER OPINIONS
Let’s get gov’t out
I always turn to page AID first
each week when 1 receive Lan
caster Farming to read the
editorial which I enjoy because the
information there is so basic and
sound.
My first exception was the
editorial of October 3,1981 where
you are advocating and supporting
House Bill 1483 regarding the state
taking over water management.
In theory, it sounds great, but we
have had over fifty years of
government trying to regulate our
affairs which accounts for the
mess we are in today.
HAVHAWS
I f
All I asked him was, ‘How are things down at the dairy co-
op?”
For many of us, responding to
our belief in God means following
rituals, building institutions and
buildings, and adopting lifestyles
that are not really important to
God. We are sometimes lavish m
.our giving to God, but .what God
really may. want from us is often
ignored. That is precisely the
concern that Micah is addressing:
“With what shall I come before
the Lord, and bow myself before
God on high?
Shall 1 come before him with
burnt offerings, with calves a
year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with
thousands of rams, with ten
thousand rivers of oil?” (Micah
6:6,7).
Those were the things the people
of Israel were giving to God, but
they weren’t the things God
wanted from them. *What he
wanted was something they didn’t
want to give: “He has showed you,
O man, wfaaris good; and what'
does the Lord require of you but to
do justice; and to love kindness and
walk humbly with your God? (6:8).
MEN WITH WICKED SCALES
Burnt offerings, thousands of
rams, and rivers of sacrifical oil—
none of that really mattered to
God- What mattered was that the
same people who brought burnt
offerings were the same people
who cheated and lied so that they
could “get ahead.” The corruption
of their society which they tried to
cover-up with religious respec
tability was the reason that God
would bring judgement upon them.
“You shall eat but not be satisfied,
and there shall be hunger in your
inward parts” (6:14).
When people withhold from God
what he really wants-justice,
kindness, humility-there is an
inner hunger within us that can
never be filled with either religious
respectability or self-indulgent
materialism. '
For example - Social Security
was allright in theory, but then
every succeeding group of
politicians wanted to do something
for their constituancy back home.
And so they turned it into a welfare
program and you now see the mess
they have made of Social Security.
So, please, let’s get government
out of our affairs as much as
possible and follow the advice of
Abraham Lincoln.
(Turn to Page AX2)
Loren L. Eves
Millville, Pa.