AlO-Lancaster Fannins, Saturday, July 27,1985
NOW IS THE TIME
To Make Summer
Alfalfa Seeding
Late July and early August are
good times to seed alfalfa, par
ticularly in this part of the state.
When seeded during the period of
good 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 1985-86
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.
To Evaluate
Weed Control
By this time of year, any weed
problems in your fields are fairly
evident and probably beyond
control. But now is a good time to
develop an effective program for
next year.
The easiest way to check for the
effectiveness of different her
bicides is to leave a small part of
your field untreated. This gives
you a chance to tell what weeds
were controlled and the ones that
were missed. However, if you
didn’t do this, you should be able to
find spots where the sprays
missed. There will usually be
areas near the ends of the fields
and will serve your purpose quite
well.
If several types of weeds seemed
to have escaped control, yoirCould
check the herbicide container label
as to whether the material was
designed to eliminate those weeds.
If your entire weed control
program seemed to be ineffective,
re-read the label to see if you
followed instructions. Just a few
simple mistakes during ap
plication can result in complete
failure. Either too much or too
little rain soon after application
can often cause a great loss of
effectiveness in many herbicides.
To Beware of
Lightning Danger
Summer temperatures often
bring severe thunder and lightning
storms; we’ve had some in recent
weeks, and no doubt there will be
more to come. We urge parents to
warn their youngsters of the
danger of seeking shelter under a
tree or swimming in a pond or
creek before and during a storm.
Safety in a truck, car or building
should be encouraged as the storm
approaches as well as during the
storm. Stay away from electric
b&NEb, J DON'T ThUNK TO
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
Phone 717-394-6851
fences and farm equipment that is
out in the open.
Buildings with lightning rods
should be checked to be sure the
rods are grounded in moist soil and
free of debris that would prevent
the cable from taking the charge
into the ground.
The com crop is developing
rapidly and soon it will be silo
filling time. The condition of the
silo should receive some attention
Farm Calendar
Harold Dellinger’s Living History,
today and tomorrow, Indian
Steps Museum, Airville. Call
Ealora Holland, 755-3777 for
more information.
Landowners Conference, Pa.
Forestry Association, Pocono
Sheraton Inn, Stroudsburg.
Summer meeting, Pa. State
Beekeepers Association,
Pocono Sheraton Inn,
Stroudsburg.
Berks County 4-H Fair, Berks
County Ag Center.
Penn-York Red and White Field '
Day, Myerose Farm, Kenneth
Myer, Elizabethtown.
Red Lion Young Farmer’s sum
mer family picnic; Shenberger
Chapel UM Church, New
Bridjgeville, begins at 12:30
p.m.
Md. Angus Field Day, Mar Lee
Farm, Woodsboro.
Morrison Cove Dairy Show,
Martinsburg; continues
through Aug. 2.
Goshen County Fair, West
Chester; continues through
Aug. 3.
Potter County Fair, Millport;
continues through Aug. 3.
Tuesday, July 30
Jacktown Fair, Wind Ridge;
continues through Aug. 3.
Mercer County Pomona Grange
Fair, Mercer; continues
through Aug. 3.
New Stanton Farm and Home
Fair, New Stanton; continues
through Aug. 3.
Chester County Holstein Field Day
at Wilmer Hostetter Farm,
Oxford, 7 p.m.
Dairy issues and outlook meeting,
Lancaster Farm and Home
Center, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 31
University of Md. Tobacco Field
Day, S. Md. Research Center,
Upper Marlboro. Contact Skip
To Prepare
The Silo
Saturday, July 27
Sunday, July 28
Monday, July 29
before the new com crop is ensueo.
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.
Myers, 301-454-3622.
1985 Sire Power Sale, Kutztown
Fairgrounds.
Thursday, August 1
Lancaster County Guernsey
Breeders’ Field Day, Penn-Del
Farm, Raymond Witmer, 10:30
a.m.
York County Holstein Picnic and
Field Day, Sinking Springs
Farm, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Friday, August 2
Pa. Sheep Field Day and Craft
Show, Ag Arena, Penn State
University.
Penn State Square Dance Festival,
8 p.m., Hetzel Union Building,
University Park, Aug. 3.
NY State dairy princess pageant,
Cortland. -
W. Pa. Holstein Championship
Show, Lawrence County
Fairgrounds.
Saturday, August 3
Sussex County Farm and Horse
Show begins; continues through
Aug. 11.
Pa. Simmental Association Field
Day, Baker’s Simmentals,
Buffalo Mills, Pa. Contact Bill
Shoemaker 412-262-4486.
Clinton County Fair, Mackeyville;
continues through Aug. 10.
Pa. Mountain Dairy Goat
Association meeting, 1 p.m. at
Winterberry Farm near
Moscow.
Sunday, August 4
Butler Farm Show, Butler; con-
tinues through Aug. 10.
Lebanon Area Fair, Lebanon;
continues through Aug. 10
Union County West End Fair,
Laurelton; continues through
Aug. 10.
Dover Area Young Farmer’s
family picnic, Kohlers
Lutheran Church picnic
grounds, 12:30 p.m.
Monday, August 5
State 4-H Achievement Days, Penn
State University.
Great Bedford County Fair,
‘COSA NOSTRA”
July 28,1985
Background Scripture
Devotional Reading:
“Cosa Nostra,” I’m told is an
Italian term meaning ap
proximately, “our thing.” It is a
term that is sometimes used by the
Mafia to refer to their far-flung
criminal enterprises. Obviously, it
is a very exclusive term, for, if
something is “our thing,” then
there are obviously others who are
not included in the “our.” Not only
are “they” not part Of “us,” but we
have no intentions of ever letting
them become part of “us.”
Actually, no matter how much
we speak of this being “one
world,” many of us apparently
prefer to keep the walls in place
that currently divide us from one
another. We arrange our lives, our
homes, our communities, so that
there is always some “they” and
“us,” and always some “thing”
that is distinctively “ours” and not
“theirs.”
“I KNEW IT, IT KNEW IT! ”
So, it is often with religion, too.
That which is intended to unite the
world, often ends up dividing it.
Religion becomes just one more
means whereby we separate our
selves from someone else. And the
benefits of religion-salvation, the
kingdom of God. heaven-these, all
Bedford; continues through
Aug. 10.
Greene County Fair, Waynesburg;
continues through Aug. 10.
Warren County Fair, Pittsfield;
continues through Aug. 11.
Wayne County Fair, Honesdale;
continues through Aug. 11.
Tuesday, August 6
Harrold Free Fair, Greensburg;
continues through Aug. 10.
Dairy issues and outlook meeting,
Lancaster Farm and Home
Center, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, August 7
Lancaster Conservation District
monthly board meeting, Farm
and Home Center, 7; 30 p.m.
Farmer’s Field Day, Rodale
Research Center, Kutztown,
9:30 a.m. and Ip.m.
Carlisle Fair, Cumberland
County; continues through Aug.
Tioga County Fair, Whitneyville;
continues through Aug. 13.
Potter/McKean Farmers
Association, Holstein Club
PFA backs ag
WARREN - The Pennsylvania
Farmers’ Association (PFA)
supports legislation to provide $5O
million in state funding for the
purchase of development rights to
preserve valuable farmland.
PFA voiced its support in
testimony before a field hearing of
the House Agriculture and Rural
Affairs Committee held in Warren,
AND THE LANGUAGE WE'.
GONNA HEAR. WOULD
WAKE A SAILOR BLUSH.
5
Jonah.
Jonahs
too often, we consciously or un
consciously, look upon as “our
thing.”
That’s what the story of Jonah is
all about (much, much more than
it is a biblical “fish story”). When
God called Jonah to go and preach
repentance to the people of
Nineveh, Jonah was so opposed
that he tried to run away. He didn’t
want the job of preaching to the
peopl" '' T -’»veh. Why? Because
he wa. uiiu, ' just might
respond to the onci 1/ r '-
redemption. Jonah didn’t wain
that because he didn’t want them
to become his brothers. Instead he
wants them to remain his and
God’s enemies.
At last, however, God catches up
with Jonah, and sends him on the
long-delayed mission to Nineveh.
When he does, the people of
Nineveh, experience a change of
heart and the “enemies” are
transformed into fellow children of
God, or brothers.
Now Jonah is really angry and
when God questions him about this
anger, Jonah replies that “I knew
that thou art a gracious God and
merciful, slow to anger, and
abounding in steadfast love, and
repentest of evil.” (4:2)
BETTER TO DIE
Jonah’s forthrightness here is
disconcerting. He is so honest
about his prejudices, that it is
either refreshing or embarrassing
or both. Plainly, he wants the love
and fqvor of God to remain “our
thing.” He doesn’t want to share it
with the people of Nineveh.
When God made it clear that he
alone would determine these
things, Jonah sulked and decided it
would be better to die than to have
to share his cosa nostra.
But God makes it clear that it is
never “our thing” that he offers,
but his...and his alone.
Annual Picnic, 7:30 p.m., 4-H
Center, Fairgrounds.
Thursday, Augusts
Researcher’s Field Day, Rodale
Center, Kutztown, 10 a.m. to 3
p.m.
Farm City Day on Penn Square in
Reading, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Lancaster Holstein Field Day,
■Nelson Wenger Farm,
Manheim, 10:30 a.m. Reserve
by July 30 by calling Gary
Akers, 717-786-4884.
Friday, August 9
Montgomery County 4-H Fair,
Montgomery 4-H Center,
Creamery.
Eastern Pennsylvania Holstein
Championship Show, Kutztown
Fairgrounds.
Saturday, August 10
South Central Pennsylvania
Holstein Championship Show,
Carlisle Fairgrounds.
Tested’Ram Lamb Sale, Meat
Animal Evaluation Center,
State College.
preserve bill
PA to consider House Bill 806.
PFA spokesman William
Goodwin, and Erie County
vegetable grower, told the com
mittee, “This piece of legislation is
of great importance to all Penn
sylvanians. One has only to look at
the most recent Federal
Agricultural Census to see why.
Between 1978 and 1982 Penn
sylvania lost 663 farms and over
245,000 acres of farmland. This
trend could lead to grave con
sequences for our state, con
sidering what agriculture means to
Pennsylvania as its number one
industry.” Goodwin noted that one
in every five jobs in Pennsylvania
is related to agriculture.
Under H.B. 806, one half of the
state realty transfer tax would be
earmarked for the purchase of
development rights to farmland by
counties. Farmers in designated
agricultural areas would be
eligible to sell their right to
develop their land for non
agricultural purposes, thus
preserving the land for fanning.