Alo—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 24,1981 What’s Farmers don’t need a calendar to know when small game season opens in Penn sylvania. Just as sure as the sun rises in the eastern sky, woodlots and cornfields light up with bright, pumpkin-orange jackets and vests as once again hunters take to the field. It's a season of both good and bad ex periences for farmers. Most take at least the first morning off to enjoy walking the fields with their old hunting buddies who’ve come out to the farm for the day (actually, it’s a lot safer walking with them than riding the tractor as the corn picker flushes out game for them to aim at). Unfortunately, the rest of the afternoon is spent picking up sandwich bags and beer cans as the game stalkers leave their trail behind. Is it too much to ask a little cooperation and respect for the farmer who opens his property to hunters? A field devoid of ‘No Trespassing’ signs should be valued by the visitors and everything should be done to repay the farmer for this privilege, right? Unfortunately, there are some hunters who seem to think they have a ‘right’ to wander a farmer’s fields regardless of how they behave. Of course, these 'black sheep' hunters are generally the exception, but they’re the ones you remember. For example, each hunting season conjures up this memory recounted by my father every October without fail. Since Dad never posted his farm, anyone was allowed to hunt on his land that is, until they made him angry. One pair of hunters from town stopped by for a stroll through the fields duringa first-day hunting escapade a few seasons ago. They happened to run into my father who was trying to finish picking his corn on one of the driest days that wet fall had seen. Since they couldn’t avoid his observing glance, the two ‘considerately' asked Dad’s permission to hunt on the farm. He consented, but with one condition that they keep away from the corn picker. The tractor hadn’t picked -up more than a dozen stalks of corn when' Dad heard a shotgun go off and saw a pheasant sailing out in front of the tractor. Needless to say, Dad wasn’t a very happy man at that point. What he told the fellows was probably mo/e colorful than what he recounted to us, but in essence. NOW IS THE TIME To Reduce Egg Breakage Egg breakage is costing poultry producers a great deal. You would be surprised bow much. Some poultrymen do not realize how many eggs they are losing because they do not keep track of them. In studies where this has been checked carefully, we find the percentages of eggs broken ranging from 2% to 5% up to 20%. With a flock of 30,000 layers averaging 70% production, a loss of 4% is 84,000 eggs or 7,000 dozen a year. This loss comes to $3,500 when eggs sell for 50 cents per dozen. Check the nests or cages for needed repair. Often we find eggs being broken right in the cages. Check the egg trays. If these are bent, they can br&ak many eggs. Careful handling will reduce Off the Sounding By Sheila Miller, Editor it worth to hunt? By Jay Irwin Lancaster County Agriculture Agent - Phone 717-394-6851 breakage if eggs are gathered by hand. Trying for too much speed in gathering may cause more loss than a little extra time. With mechanical gathering, check the escalators to be sure they are timed properly and are not breaking eggs. Check the orientors to be sure eggs are not piling up. This is an egg cracker on many farms. To Pasture With Care We have received a number of calls inquiring as to the dangers of pasturing forage crops after being frosted. All of the permanent grasses such as bluegrass, orchard grass, or brome grass can safely be grazed at any time of the year; this is also true of any of the small grain cover crops such as rye, wheat or barley. All of these are not toxic when frozen and usually these two jokers were ‘requested’ to take their guns and “git.” This wasn’t the only incident that made hunting season a challenge for this farmer's patience. There was the trash thrown in the back- of the corn wagons,- the pushed-down wire fences; and the plain ignorant behavior of ‘guests' who shot too close to buildings and livestock. The trash is still a problem, but the the fencing problem was solved some time ago when hunters learned what a cow feels like when she sticks her nose up to an electric fence. There are countless other farmers who have shared the frustration of dealing with' rude, hunters. Some try to solve their problems by posting their land, others paint signs that jab at the hunter’s conscience, with not-so-subtle reminders to pick up their trash or else. One orchard man in Adams County probably has the right idea. Since he has his land posted, hunting is by permission only. This way he knows who is-coming - on his property each season. Well, knowing which hunters came out for the ‘fun’ of it each fall, this farmer decided to see just how much their right to hunt was worth. That summer., each of the hunters received a note saying that since .they enjoyed the farmer’s hospitality almost every weekend in the fall, a favor would need to be exchanged if they wished, to continue to hunt on his property. Each hunter was asked to come out one day, any day that was convenient, and put m eight hours of work in the orchard or on the farm. Guess how many of those regular visitors showed up 'at the farm for their work ex change? You were absolutely right if you guessed ‘zip’ that’s right, not one solitary volunteer. That fall, guess how many of those hunters returned to the farm to hunt? If you guessed all of them, you’re right again. But, the laugh was on the ‘too-busy’ hunters because the hardworking farmer spent the entire season making sure not one of those fellows put one foot on his property. How many of the hunters that walk your fields would come out to lend a hand with the farm work in return for the privilege of hunting? It might be interesting to find out do not present any bloating problems. However, the legumes such as clover and alfalfa should be grazed very carefully; they are not toxic after being frosted, but will cause severe bloating if consumed while the frost is on the leaves. Allow the frost to thaw, and the plants to dry before turning out the herd. Also, any of the sudan grasses or sorghum hybrids should not be grazed for at least' a week after being frozen. Both internal and external parasites reduce animal health and efficiency. During these times when livestock feeding profits have been slim, feed efficiency becomes very important. All (Turn to Page Al 2) Board - To Eradicate Livestock Parasites ON LOVING DARKNESS October 25,1981 Background Scripture: John 3. Devotional Reading: 1 John 5:6-12. Next to the 23rd Psalm, probably the best known Bible verse throughout the world is John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, bnt have everlasting life.” If you have memorized and remember just one verse of scripture, chances are that it will be that one. I wish, however, that all those of us who took the effort to memorize' those words would have gone on fo memorize with it the next verse as well: “For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, bnt that the world might be saved through him” (John 3; 17). NOT TO CONDEMN It is true that v. 17 only makes stronger and more explicit what is being said in v. 16. John is saying, first of all, that God’s intention was, not that we should perish, but that we should experience “eternal life.” But in' v. 17 he puts it in a language even more direct, in dicating that God’s purpose was “not to condemn, the world,” but to insure that the world would be “saved.” So the central thrust of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not one of condemnation, but salvation. John 3 speaks of both judgement and HAV haws r i