410—Uncarttr farming, Saturday, January 8,1983
&S omdtimg Board
By Sheila Miller, Editor
Butterflies at Farm Show?
Nobody has to explain these butterflies complete, we remembered too late the vows of
we've been feeling for the past few weeks. No, "I'm going to have those animals clipped and
they're not the result of pre-Christmas jitters ready to go," made hastily during longer,
or New Year's Eve excitement. What's been warmer days. Now evenings find us freezing
causing all the flutters can be summed up in our fingers off in 20 degree weather,
two words Farm Show. promising ourselves through shivering lips
Here at the paper, everyone has been that once we’ve thawed our typing digits we’ll
pouring all of our energies into bringing you a send a letter to Secretary Hallowed asking for
super pre-Farm Show issue. Now that the big Farm Show to be rescheduled in July. Despite
week has arrived, we’ll be heading to these frosty late night vigils in the barn, during
Harrisburg to bring you all the news and which clippers go on strike, cattle kick, and
happenings Pennsylvania’s largest indoor tempers flare, many of us will still be frantically
agricultural show can provide. We hope to see clipping away on our livestock entries just
you all there and be sure to take a minute hours before the show ring call,
and stop by Lancaster Farming’s booth in the I have to confess, although some folks are
Main Exhibition Building (Number 30) to say more organized than lam about traveling to
"hi.” shows, I always seem to forget something
Just as it take weeks to get a pre-Farm Show whether it’s feed tubs, water buckets, combs,
newspaper ready for the big farming event, brushes,. . . whatever. Luckily, and probably
farm families across the state have been quite by accident, I have yet to forget the show
preparing for months to bring their finest entries or my camera and notebook,
livestock, poultry, crops, Christmas trees, But, as the hours wind down to departure
fruits, nuts, and home economics projects to time for our trip to Harrisburg, I listen with
the state's historic agricultural complex in strained attention to every radio news
Harrisburg. But it always seems that no broadcast, hoping that the weatherman
matter when we begin getting ready for Farm doesn’t make my nerves stretch even tighter
Show, procrastination asserts itself and wins by coating the highways with snow or ice.
the upper hand. First-hand experience has given’Vne a better
For those who find that hard to believe, insight into what each Farm Show exhibitor
consider this. Who could have possibly been goes through to bring the thousands of Farm
thinking about getting entry forms filled out for Show visitors a better-than-ever show each
Farm Show when Halloween costumes and year. From paperwork to packing the show box
trick-or-treat prank possibilities preoccupied to pulling a reluctant calf into a crowded, noisy
our minds? But, regardless of how involved we show ring, the Farm Show initiation has
were in picking out the scariest face mask or opened up another side ot this awesome event
carving the funniest jack-o-lantern, we had to for me.
drop everything and concentrate on "how
many" and "which ones of what” we’d like to Quite conveniently, I can’t remember
‘ake to Farm Show. exactly how our cattle placed after our debut
Why then? Weil, for most Farm Show on the Farm Show tanbark three years ago.
exhibitors, all that sort of paperwork had to be But I vividly remember straining my eyes in
completed and in the mail to Horace Mann's order to see the other end of the lineup and
office (Farm Show director) by Nov. 4. who had received the blue ribbon in the class.
With that out of the way, there’s nothing left Now, some folks might be discouraged by
to do until the big day arrives for the drive to that kind of "success" at Farm Show but it
Harrisburg, right? Wrong. But that doesn’t sure lets you know how your breeding
lean we remember to get everything done. program compares to others in the state, and
So, with thoughts filled with Thanksgiving whether a change is needed. The message
urkey and the number of shopping days left came through loud and clear that year,
ntil Christmas, it’s no wonder the fact that all So, three years and a change of bloodlines
le blood work and health charts on animals later, we’re coming back to Farm Show. No
lipped out of our minds. Miraculously our matter where our calves stand in their class,
lemories returned in the nick of time so that the week-long effort will be a worthwhile
ur temporary Yuletide amnesia still per- experience for us, just as it has been for
nitted the necessary tests and paperwork to farmers across the state for more than six
je completed. (With a sigh of relief, we opened decades. We'll be joining the rest of the
he envelope containing the health charts that Keystone farmers in measuring our
somehow were rushed through any red tape agricultural performance by the state’s oldest,
delays and arrived in the mail this week.) biggest and best yardstick the 67th Penn-
With entries accepted and health charts sylvania Farm Show.
Something for everyone
N Joyce Bupp s, articles always
If XiCtI'EPS To II 1 would t 0 compliment the “hit home.” The recipe page is
II || Lancaster Farming staff on the always useful and “Off the
ILThC Editor Jl fine job you do on the paper. Sounding Board” is informative
U| 11 dl Your articles are timely and and thought-provoking.
accurate, not to mention that there 80 here is a pat-on-the-back for
is something of interest for the each of you, to start the new year,
reader of any age from kids to A Faithful Reader,
great-grandpap. New Enterprise, Pa.
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BY LAWRENCE W AHHOU-SE
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GETTING
“PERSONAL”
January 9,1983
Background Scripture:
Luke 7:11-23; 10:2547.
Devotional Reading;
Luke 6:6-11.
. Lots of people I know like to talk
about religion. They love to discuss
and argue the fine points of
religious ideas. In fact, for some
people, the essence of religion
seems to be doing battle with
“wrong” religious thinking,
combating “unsound” religious
concepts, and debating differing
theological formulations.
Those same people, I’ve often
observed, are considerably less
enthusiastic when those abstract
religious ideas are personalized.
For example, it is one thing to
discuss the nature of God and quite
something else to begin to spell out
what demands our belief in God
makes upon the way we live our
lives.
TESTING JESUS
This was true in the encounter
between Jesus and the lawyer who
asked him, “Teacher, what shall I
do to inherit entemal life?” It was
a perfectly, good question to
provoke a religious discussion.
People often discussed the
meaning and nature of “eternal
life.”
But, of course, Luke tells us that
the lawyer’s interest was not really
in eternal life, but in putting Jesus
“to the test.” The lawyer wanted to
see how Jesus would answer this
question Perhaps he would say
NOW IS THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lanatter County Agriculture Acent
PhoM 717-394-6851
To Attend Farm Show Events
Time has a way of creeping up on
us, and here it is this week is
Farm Show week. The Farm Show
will open again this year on Sun
day, Jan. 9, and close on Friday,
Jan. 14. The theme for this year’s
exhibition is ‘Pennsylvania
Agriculture - We’re Growing
Better.’ Well, our agriculture is
growing better because of the hard
work of our family-operated
farms. And here is an opportunity
for our farmers to show the con
suming public, the high quality
product that’s produced on or
farms today.
Active farmers should recognize
the many educational meetings
and banquets that are held during
the week. Many of these are state
wide organizations and should
have economic benefits to the
producer.
To Evaluate Computers
Farm people have always looked
at new ways to do a better job in
producing food and fiber and now,
as we enter the computer age,
farmers are taking a good look at
the potential of computer to assist
in the decision-making process. We
urge farmers to become aware of
the many and varied ways a
computer can be used.
In an effort to assist farmers in
sorting out and evaluating this
information, the Extension Service
in south central Pennsylvania will
hold a Farm Computerization
Symposium and Trade Show. On
Feb. 1, the event will be held at the
Lancaster Farm and Home
Center, and on Feb. 2, it will be
held at the Embers Restaurant,
something that could be held
against him. Or maybe he would be
embarrassed not by having a
worthy answer.
At any rate, the lawyer probably
figured he could hardly lose, for, if
Jesus gave the traditional answer
the lawyer would be able to get
some points with his perfect
obedience to the Pharisaic life
under the law. And, at first, that’s
what appeared to be happening.
Jesus asked him, “What is written
in the law?” and this gave the
lawyer a perfect opportunity to
parade his own moral rectitude. -
MY NEIGHBOR?
Flushed with success, the lawyer
went one step too far. Not content
with his victory, be pressed Jesus
on still another debatable point:
“And who is my neighbor?” The
lawyer should have quit while he
was ahead, for at this point Jesus
got “personal” in a way the lawyer
would have preferred to avoid.
Instead of discussing the question
in theological or philosophical
terms, Jesus told a parable that
made the ..answer so clear to
everyone as to place their behavior
under judgement especially that
of the lawyer.
• The lawyer began the con
versation on a wave of religious
pride, but when Jesus per
sonalized, it, the proud lawyer was
humbled by the Master’s answer.
To inherit eternal life would make
some requirements on the lawyer
that he was not prepared to make.
So long as the preacher inveighs
against sin in a general way, we
may be led to express enthusiasm
for his preaching. But if he should
move from generalizations to
specifics that touch our lives, we
may be led to conclude that he has
moved from preaching to med
dling. In that sense. Jesus was
more a meddler than a preacher,
for the essence of the gospel, as he
saw it, is in “getting personal.”
Carlisle. We encourage pre
registration obtain a copy of the
program and registration form
from any Extension office in south
centra] Pennsylvania. The sym
posium starts at 9 a.m. both days.
Two half-day programs will be
presented each day with identical
programs in the morning and
afternoon. A trade show with
various types of computers will
run concurrent with the sym
posium.
To Be A Better Manager
As we look ahead to 1983, it is
difficult to realize just what major
problems will confront the average
farmer. However, it is evident that
profits will be more difficult to
realize and some very good
management will be needed to
come out in the black. Today’s
farmer must be a better
businessman than his forefathers.
He must be able to handle labor,
money, equipment and keep up to
date on all regulations and cultural
practices. He must be able to plan
ahead and to be organized with all
his responsibilities. He shold
practice good public relations with
his neighbors and respect the
rights of others. Good
management is just as important
in farming as it is in any other
industry or business. Work at it
and it will pay dividends.
To Segregate Animals
One of the major practices in
preventing livestock diseases is to
segregate new animals when
brought to the farm. This is true
with all species of livestock. Too
many diseases and infections are
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