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There she stands ...
BY DICK ANGLESTEIN
This week there was a big fuss about Miss
America, her posing, Penthouse, etc Once
again, the worth of beauty pageants was
questioned by some.
The episode got me to thinking about ag's
"beauty pageants" - dairy and livestock
shows. What would happen if a boisterous and
bellicose bovine could rebell and lash out at
the exploitation of her dairy femininity at such
a show?
Her story might go something like this:
“Ever since I was rudely yanked into this
world in a corner maternity pen, my sponsor
directed me toward only one goal - the banner
that now rests across my back.
"Very early, I was separated from my
mother and moved to my own little house to
begin my pageant grooming. My quarters were
kmda cramped but the southern exposure was
nice A bunch of us kids all about the same age
made up this little suburban community -- our
houses in a neat little line.
"We soon discovered that we had something
in common -- none of us knew our fathers and
some of us even shared the same one, who
had died several years ago.
“Hardly weaned and on my own, I was
thrust into my first pageant at about four
months old I was still finding my legs and they
kept talking about learning how to walk uphill
on the level. I never could understand this
“At a time when I would rather have jumped
and played I was forced to stand a certain way,
with my hocks constantly prodded by this long
stick. Even when nature called, someone was
sticking fingers in my rump to get my back
down flat again
Farm Calendar
Saturday, July 28
Private Landowner Conference,
Pa. Forestry Association,
Pocono Hershey Resort, White
Haven.
Pa. Ayrshire Breeders Field Day,
Lewis Thomas Valley Furnace
Farm, Ligonies.
Delaware Holstein Sale, 6-10 p.m.,
Delaware Fairgrounds,
Harrington.
Rutgers Vegetable-Flower Open
House, 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Ryder’s Lane, New Brunswick,
N.J.
OHs
International Com Conference,
Indianapolis, Ind.; continues
through Wednesday.
Monday, July 30
Morrison Cove Dairy Show,
Martinsburg, opens; continues
through Friday.
Clearfield County Fair opens;
continues through Saturday.
Goshen Country Fair opens,
continues throuh Saturday.
Mercer County Pomona opens;
continues through Saturday.
"That first trip away from home was a shock.
The bumpy, jostling ride crowded in a truck
with others all so much bieeer than me was a
fright and ended in temporaray ac
commodations with no privacy at all. A steady
stream of strangers kept filing by, some rudely
trying to grab or touch me.
i remember that first pageant of nsmg to a
cloud with all the primping and attention, only
to come crashing back down when I was
placed near the end of a string of youngsters
all my age. I just wasn’t prepared for such a
fast letdown.
"While the judge talked glowingly about
some of my competitors, I and a few others
were passed over quickly with only a general
reference
"But soon I began to develop physically and
the color of my ribbons began to change as my
division of competition came later and later in
the show
"Judges began to pay more attention to my
anatomy I remember all too well the first time
a judge touched me - right m front of all of
those people
"After my first child the pageant schedule
became even more hectic. My active
motherhood ceased after that initial blessed
event and I became the subject only of a
medical ritual in which I donated family
fulfillment to a distant relative who otherwise
would likely have been an old maid By sharing
motherhood, I had more time for my career
which was split between milking parlor and
showring
“Now, I stand here in the center of this ring.
A small crowd of people surrounds me. Lights
are flashing in my face. Someone is fussing
with my feet Another is waving frantically at
me to get my ears forward.
"I can't help but wonder if it has all been
worth it.
"Instead of the sawdust and tanbark, would
I have become more solidly planted in life with
a lush pasture beneath my feet?
“The long hours and days restricted by
halter and rope made my times of carefree
romping as a child few and far between.
“Now, fully thrust into a career at a young
age, I wonder if a more traditional role as
family maker wouldn't have been more
satisfying
‘‘Have I lost my true identity?
“Am I another symbol of a banner on the
wall or a trophy on the shelf 7
“If I had had the choice, is this the life I
would have selected 7
“Yes, Mr. Thoreau, even contented cows
can lead lives of quiet desperation.”
Sunday, July 29
W ELL
Tuesday, July 31
Farmers’-Businessmen’s Picnic,
5:30 p.m. at Leon’s Sod Farm,
Hunterdon County, N. J.
Jacktown Fair, Wind Ridge,
opens; continues through
Saturday.
Stanton Community Fair, New
Stanton, opens; continues
through Saturday.
August 1
University of Delaware Ag Export
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111
Background Scripture:
2 Kings 14.
Devotional Reading:
Deuteronomy 24:16-22.
You know the old proverb:
“Pride goeth before a fall."
While it may be true that one can
“fall” without pride, still it seems
abundantly clear that pride
without a “fall” of some kind is
rather unlikely.
Of course, the “pride” of which
the sage speaks in this proverb is
not a justifiable pride, but an
arrogant one. It distorts our vision,
clouds our reason, and prejudices
our actions. That kind of “pride”
almost always results in a “fall.”
10,000 EDOMITES
Amaziah, king of Judah, is a
case in point. Succeeding Joash,
his father, at the age of twenty
five, Amaziah was successful in
rooting out and executing those
who had murdered his father.
Some time later, Amaziah followed
with a very impressive victory
over Edom in the Valley of Salt:
Amaziah “killed ten thousand
Edomites...and took Sela by
storm.” (14:7).
Flushed with victory and
overconfidence, Amaziah
NOW IS THE TIME
Late July and early August are
good times to seed alfalfa, par
ticularly in this part of the state.
When seeded during this period of
high soil moisture, the plants have
time to become established before
freezing weather arrives. Alfalfa is
still one of our major forage crops
and deserves the very best of
planning and management. Band
seeding is the best method to make
this seeding.
Weed control is a “must” with a
straight seeding without a nurse
crop. Many stands are injured by
poor weed control during the first
year. Refer to the 1983-84
Agronomy Guide for assistance on
weed control practices. Be aware
that alfalfa should not be planted in
ground that has been treated for
com weed control during the past
year, especially fields sprayed
with atrazine. Alfalfa is an ex
cellent forage crop; however, it
does require attention and good
management.
THEN WEVE SURE BEEN
JUST BEFORE
THE FALL
July 29,1984
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
Phone 717 394 6851
To Make Summer
Alfalfa Seeding
challenged his neighbor, King
Jehoash of Israel, to do battle.
Johoash’s response is interesting;
A thistle on Lebanon sent to a
cedar on Lebanon, saying, ‘Give
your daughter to my son for a
wife’; and a wild beast of Lebanon
passed by and trampled the thistle.
You have indeed smitten Edom,
and your heart has lifted you up!
Be (jontent with your glory, and
stay at home; for why should you
pro” ’ 'ouble so that you fall,
you and Judah with you? (14:9 ‘o)'
PROVOKING TROUBLE
It was one thing to crush 10,000
Edomites, it would be something
else to meet in battle the people of
Israel. Why go looking for trouble,
asked Jehoash?
“But Amaziah would not listen."
His pride blinded him to the good
advice given him by Jehoash. Tus,
once again, as so many times m
human history, arrogant pride was
followed by a humiliating fall. Not
only was Amaziah roundly
defeated by Jehoash and the
Israelites, but he was captured, the
walls of Jerusalem broken down,
and the temple treasures earned
away. That which had begun so
well in the Valley of Salt now came
to a screeching halt on Mount Zion.
How often arrogant pride has led
both people and nations into
destruction! Pride false pride -
intoxicates us, keeps us from
seeing things as they are, deluding
ourselves, and acting in ways that,
upon reflection too late, are clearly
unwise. Because we have ex
perienced the elation of our own
Valley of Salt, we lose our per
spective and blunder on into
situations that can only lead us to
fall in humiliating defeat.
Just before the “fall,” almost
always there is pride.
To Prepare
The Silo
The com crop is developing
rapidly and soon it will be silo
filling time. The condition of the
s|lo should receive some attention
before the new corn crop is ensiled.
Many of the concrete silos may be
pitted and have a rough inside
surface. This will allow air pockets
and cause moldy silage. Some
inside joints may need to be
repointed in order to keep out the
air and have a smooth surface.
Don’t wait until the silo filler is
coming before you make these
repairs.
Silage is one of the best and most
economical feeds on our farms
today; let’s not spoil it after it is in
the silo.
To Check Pets
For Fleas
Warm moist weather favors the
development of fleas and you will
find them jumping right now. First
of all treat the dogs and cats with
commercial flea powders. Flea
collars appear to do a good job
against fleas but check the pet
frequently because the skin of
some aninrufls tjecomes irritated
by 'the material in the collar. For
indoors, treat Infested areas with
ant and roach aerosols. Do not
overlook tbe bedding of pets or
their quarters. Sevin also
does an effective job in this area
Because fleas often infest lawns
in the summer, treat the grass with
sprays or dusts containing either
Sevin or Diazinon. Apply these
sprays according to the directions
of the container.
To Fertilizer
Strawberry Plants
Most strawberry growers have
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