AlO-Uncaster Fanning, Saturday, May 31,1986
OPINION
Stress Down
We like to think that people who
live on top of each other in the city
need to get out to our farm country
to find relief from their stress. But
with the economic squeeze placed
on farmers these days, we’ve got
some stress right down on the
farm. And these stresses are not
reserved only for the marginal
farmer or poor managers.
In the study of Farm Families
Facing Financial Stress, Harold
Capener, Professor of Rural
Sociology at Cornell University
called these farm families the
“Cream of the crop”. Unlike many
of the farmers who left farming
during the last 20 years, these
farmers in the study were capable
and dedicated. They had very
promising children. They were
social, civic and religious leaders
in their communities. Often they
got into farming or expanded their
farm operation a few years ago
when everything looked
promising. Now when the economy
has changed they find themselves
highly leveraged and under
financial stress.
Not all farmers handle stress
alike. Some farmers feel
challenged by problems and others
fear them. According to James E.
Van Horn, Family Sociology
Extension Specialist at Penn State,
the major reasons for different
reactions to stress are a farmer’s
perception of the situation, his
tolerance of how much stress he
can live with and his skills for
strategies on how to cope with the
stress.
How events are interpreted will
affect the reaction to stress. In
order for stress to occur, the
farmer must see or perceive the
situation as stressful in the first
place. Stress is “in the eye of the
perceiver.” For example, one
farmer may view a broken arm as
annoying and a major setback to
production. Another farmer may
see himself or herself as a very
fortunate person in that nothing
more than the arm was broken.
A farmer’s feelings on a par
ticular problem depend on his or
her whole belief system. If a
farmer views farming as
unrewarding, each new stress is
viewed in this light and seen as
adding one new element to the
already troublesome burden.
However, if farming is seen as
basically challenging and
rewarding, stresses will be viewed
as less severe.
Stress tolerance refers to a
farmer’s capacity to withstand
stress or the amount of stress the
farmer can tolerate before
abilities are seriously impaired.
Farmers differ greatly in the
amount and types of stress, both
physical and mental, they can
handle. Prolonged exertion and
fatigue that would be only mildly
stressful to a young farmer may
prove very difficult for an older
farmer or someone with a heart
On The Farm
defect. Emergencies, delays, and
other problems that a confident
farmer can take in stride may be a
stumbling block for one who feels
less confident or more troubled.
Coping with stress or solving a
problem involving stress will
depend on the skills the farmer has
to solve it, according to Van Horn.
The greater the skill, the less
severe the stress. A well-trained
farmer may be able to turn a profit
even in the most marginal of
situations; whereas one with less
training may not be able to
manage as successfully and
become hopelessly frustrated.
But the farmer’s actual level of
skill is not the whole story-the way
a farmer views his or her
capabilities is important too. If the
farmer feels generally self
confident and expects to solve a
problem successfully, the stress
will not be as severe even if it is a
difficult problem. Skills also in
clude those healthy things a far
mer can do when feeling stressed.
We may not think of “taking a
walk” as being much of a skill, but
it is when we are dealing with a
stressful situation. The skill is
“learning from past experiences to
get away from a stressful problem
for 20 or 30 minutes.” The farmer
says “I must take a walk, relax
and clear my head.” That’s the
skill part of walking.
Stress management consists of
activities or strategies that assist
farmers in avoiding unnecessary
stress or coping with it. It also
helps the farmer to better
withstand the pressures and
conflicts which are an inevitable
part of life.
There is no “one and only”
method of managing stress.
Farmers should use a variety of
ways to deal with stress.
Farmers who are successful
stress managers seem to share
these characteristics:
- Self-awareness-they know
their strengths, skills, and
weaknesses. They plan for the
future. “They never bite off more
than they can chew.”
- A variety of techniques-they
utilize many stress-reducing
techniques as the situation dic
tates.
- Many interests-they are able
to draw on several sources for
personal satisfaction-hobbies,
recreation, family.
- Have active and productive
habits-they make things happen,
they practice stress management
during the bad and good times.
- Support--they develop
friendships with others for help
and comfort during periods of
stress.
One way to manage your
psychological and physical well
being is to have people you can
turn to for emotional support. This
support might come from family,
church members, friends, or other
farmers who have experienced the
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NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
To Be Aware of Fly Build-up
There is considerable increase in
fly population in many of our
operations this spring. One of the
reasons is the build-up of
resistance to materials presently
used.
Your fly control program should
integrate several different control
techniques and insecticides, if you
are going to be successful. Plies
will become resistant to a par
ticular insecticide if exposed to the
same material several times in
succession. Resistance to the
synthetic pyrethroids (Ectiban,
Atroban, Hard Hitter, etc.) has
already been shown.
Some of our poultry producers
have found that flies are more
tolerant to Larvadex than thev
FARM FORUM
OUR READERS WRITE
Dear Editor;
I have read and seen a lot about
the vanishing American farmer.
But what I can’t understand is why
they, the farmers, try and stand
alone during these troubled times.
My family and I were not bom or
raised on a farm, but we always
wanted a farm. About seven years
ago we bought what would be a
gentlemen’s farm. We have 13
brood sows and we sell our piglets
to our neighbor. We would love to
go full-time but as with anything,
financially we couldn’t.
The point I’m trying to make is
why can’t farmers work together
as a group? They could buy land
together, share equipment, rotate
investment in planting seasons,
and share the bounty, which to me,
would bring overhead way down.
I would like to see an in-depth
survey taken and an in-depth
article on this subject. I think
Lancaster Farming is a great
newspaper but don’t forget we are
not all dairy farmers. Some of us
are pork producers.
I believe we are our brothers
keeper, but I also think the
American farmer has forgotten
about that.
If the American farmer doesn’t
form a solidarity among them
selves, the big conglomerates who
buy all these farms will take over.
Sincerely,
Frank J. Cossmay
kind of stress you are ex
periencing. Since emotional
support involves give-and-take, try
to check yourself when you begin
to withdraw or become angry and
defensive. Try to support other
people in addition to receiving
support from them. Support comes
r t
were a year or two ago. For best
results, use a wide variety of in
secticide formulations (space
sprays, mist sprays, baits,
residual sprays, etc.) and different
classes of insecticides (synthetic
pyrethroids, carbomates and
organophosphates). In fact, Dr.
Clarence Collison, entomologist at
Penn State, suggests that if you
have not used a material for two or
three years, you may want to give
it a try again.
In addition to using appropriate
insecticides when necessary, it is
important to develop an effective
manure management program to
keep the number of fly breeding
sites to a minimum.
To Practice Bio-Security
Livestock and poultry diseases
continue to be a threat to farmers.
I still believe that in too many
cases the farmer brings the in
fection home to his own animals
and poultry. Are you careful about
the footwear worn when attending
the public stock yards or sales
barns? Most of these places are an
outlet for animals with some in
fection; the chances of picking up
these organisms on your boots or
shoes are great. Even though the
public places are often disinfected,
there is still danger of infection.
We urge farmers to be very
careful with their sanitary habits.
The same is true when using public
trucks to transport animals; be
sure they are clean and well
THE “ONLY”
COMPLEX
June 1,1986
Background Scripture: Jeremiah
Devotional Reading: Psalm 139; 1-
When God has something for us
to do, it seems we are almost
always “only” something “only
one person,” “only a layperson,”
“only an ordinary person,” and so
on. Called to be God’s prophet,
Jeremiah responded with “Ah,
Lord God! Behold, I do not know
how to speak, for I am only a
youth” (1:6). .Moses had been
in many forms. A brief “chat” with
a friend may be all that you or your
friend needs.
Diet influences a person’s ability
to cope with stress. Elevated blood
cholesterol levels, combined with
hypertension or high blood
pressure, increase your chances of
stroke and heart attack.
Caffeine stimulates the sym
pathetic nervous system and may
promote even more nervousness
and tension. Be moderate in your
consumption of coffee, tea, soft
drinks, and drugs containing
caffeine.
Although alcohol and drugs are
common ways of dealing with
stress, they can be addictive and
tend to affect or “treat” only the
symptoms of the problems. They
mask the cause of stress without
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disinfected. Don’t be guilty ot
bringing home infection to your
own animals.
To Clip Pastures
Mowing permanent pastures at
this time of year is a very
idea. Many of the plants will be
heading out and some will g 0
seed; this means that the plants
should be mowed to help control
weeds and to encourage new
growth of grass.
Livestock will consume the dry
clippings. Pastures should be
clipped several times during the
season. In addition, the clipped
area will look much better to the
general public as they travel
through the country.
To Reduce Rural Crime
Rural crime has become a sad
fact of life. Most facts and figures
that we read indicate an increase
in rural crime. There are many
things you can do to “make crime
more trouble that it’s worth.” That
would include installing and using
locks, bringing your equipment
inside, or putting it in a well
lighted area at night. Also, do not
keep loading chutes near gates
One of the most important things
you can do is to establish “crime
watch” with your neighbors.
You also may be able to borrow
an engraving tool from your local
police department to mark you
equipment with your driver's
license number. Do not use your
Social Security number because it
is not retrievable.
“only” an 80-year-old man: “Who
am I that I should go to Pharoab,
and bring the sons of Israel out o
Egypt?” (Exodus 4:11). Isaiah ha
been “only” an unworthy man
“Woe is me...for I am a man o
unclean lips...” (Isaiah6;s).
BEYOND“ONLY”
None of these responses not
those that you and I make who
God needs us are untrue so fa
as they go. Yes, we are too young,
too old, too unworthy, and all the
rest. But when God has a job font
to do, he makes it clear that then
is something beyond the “only"
facts of our lives. God gave Mow
the something tltt he needed for fa
task; Isaiah, too. And to i
quivering Jeremiah he said: “Do
not say, ‘I am only a youth’; forte
all to whom I send you you slid
g 0...” (1:7).
By ourselves we may not be able
to do what he wants. But, we an
not by ourselves; “Be not afraidd
them, for I am with you to deliver
y0u...” (1:8). God never calls mil
a task which is impossible,
because he always offers himsdl
with that call; “Behold, I have pd
my words in your mouth” (1:9).
At this point you may be sayufl
to yourself, “Well, that’s nice te
know if God ever calls me to 4
something (Of course, I’ve bee*
around for some time and he hasn't
asked me to do anything yet!)."
Don’t you believe it! If you’re oM
enough to read these words, you’n
old enough to have gotten God')
call to do lots of somethings. Tit
problem is probably, not that h
hasn’t called you, but that yot
haven’t been listening. I can sal
that, not because I know you, id
because I know that God doesn't
bring anyone in this world fori
free ride. There’s alwayl
something to do for God.
IN THE WOMB
God told Jeremiah that his callti
the prophecy was something that
had been in the picture from the
very beginning; “Before I formed
you in the womb I knew you, aid
before you were bom I consecrated
you; I appointed you a prophet.
(1:5). What God said to Jeremiah
I believe he says to each of us. W
may not be called to be prophets,
but we are each of us created fora
purpose God’s purpose a®
we cannot ever be really satisfied
until we have discovered that
purpose and set ourselves to mate
it a reality.
God made you for a purpose, too
Do you know what it is? Don’t let
the “only” complex get in the way
Based on copyrighted outlines produced by W
Committee on the Uniform Series and used W
permission Released by Community & Suburb
Press