■arming, mcasi OPINION The Dutchman In Us In Lancaster Farming Territory, we’re often accused of being “dutcfaman”. Those who use this term often mean to imply that we are a little slow to take on modern things and ideas. Backward is the word they use. Some of us still farm with horses. And even if we farm with modem equipment we still get a bit giddy from the fast pace of modem society. The assistant to the state secretary of agriculture John Nikoloff last week called us fiscally conservative. You can be sure he was being respectful when he said it. Nikoloff was simply saying that because of our dut chman characteristics we didn’t get ourselves under as big a debt load as some of our midwestem brothers did. This hesitancy to go into things in a big way has paid off for a lot of us farmers during this time of deflation. And we are noted for our bam raisings. When a farmer has a disaster his neighbors come and help him build up again. If a fire destroys a bam, the loss is soon forgotten because of the neigb borliness of those persons in the community who come help restore the structure. If a farmer becomes ill, his neighbors will move in and take care of the farming operation until the afflicted person has recovered. And if there is a drought-. Farm Calendar Saturday, August 2 Performance Tested Ham and Invitational Ewe Sale, State College. Western Pennsylvania Cham pionship Holstein Show, SykesviUe, Jefferson County, 9 a.m. Bradford County Holstein Picnic at Ron Kline’s. Clinton County Fair, Mill Hill; continues through Aug. 9. Master Farmer’s Association Summer Picnic, Frederick, Md. Contact Marion Deppen at 814- 863-0331. Grand Squares Dance, East Petersburg Fireball, 8 p.m. Cumberland County 4-H Horse Roundup, Long Acres Show Ring. Sunday, August 3 Berks County Dairy Fest, Grings Mill Rec Area, 1:30 p.m. Warren County Fair; continues through Aug. 9. Transfer Harvest Home Fair, Greenville; continues through Aug. 9. Union County West End Fair, Laurelton; continues through Aug. 9. IUgUS' One of the beautiful happenings that has covered national agriculture in the last several weeks is the outpouring of sym pathy from farmers who have been abundantly blessed with rain to those farmers in other parts of the country who have not been so blessed. You might call it a national bam raising. At least the principle of helping ones neighbor in time of need is evident. National secretary of agriculture Richard Lyng when he visited Lancaster Farming Territory this week spoke with quiet amazement at the “out pouring of volunterism” that has been expressed since the USDA set up the drought disaster hotline. The first day the telephone an swering service was available 900 calls were received. Of this huge number of calls Lyng reported that most of the calls offering to help came from Lancaster Farming Territory. That’s great. But because of our natural dutchman characteristics, we’re not too surprised. Individual farmers, farm organizations, agribusiness and government agencies all have joined hands to help those who are hurting. And because of this we can’t help but think there must be a little bit of dutchmanism in all of our farmers and friends in Lancaster Farming Territory. Warren County Fair, Pittsfield; continues through Aug. 9. Lycoming County Farmer’s Association annual family picnic, Trout Pond Park, Muncy, 1 p.m. Bring a covered dish. Potter County Fair; continues through Aug. 9. Bedford County Fair, Bedford; continues through Aug. 9. Butler County Farm Show, Butler; continues through Aug. 9. Green County Fair, Waynesburg; continues through Aug. 9. Wayne County Fair, Honesdale; continues through Aug. 10. State 4-H Achievement Days, Penn State; continues through Aug. 6. Ephrata Young Farmers Educational Tour; continues through Aug. 6. For information call Samuel Martin, 733-7713. York County Vegetable Growers Twilight Meeting, RITC Farm, east of EmigsviUe, 7 p.m. to dusk. »XAVE CARPeK r i/-- Monday, August 4 Tuesday, August 5 NOW IS THE TIME By Jay Irwin Lancaster County Agriculture Agent To Attend Ag Progress Days Most farmers do not need much prodding to visit an agricultural show whether it is in the county or halfway across the state. Each year thousands of people have jammed Penn State University’s Rock Springs Agricultural Research Center, nine miles west of Boalsburg on Route 45, to attend the Annual Ag Progress Days. The dates are August 19 to 21. Activities will start at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. each day. This year’s show should be one of the biggest and best ever. The theme of this year’s event, “Water Quality And Your Life,” is very fitting with the concerns for safe drinking water. Since 1984, almost half a million Pennsylvanians, including 125,000 in the first four months of this year, have had to boil their drinking water. Wednesday, August 6 Lancaster Conservation District Board Meeting. Carlisle Fair, Carlisle; continues through Aug. 9. Tioga County Fair, Whitneyville; continues through Aug. 12. Thursday, August 7 Pa. Christmas Tree Growers annual meeting, Sheraton Inn, Wexford. Farm City Day, Penn Square, Reading, 10;30a.mto3p.m. Huntingdon County Extension Executive Committee Meeting, 8 p.m., Extension Meeting Room. Cumberland County 4-H Dairy Roundup, Carlisle Fairgrounds, Carlisle. Friday, August 8 Lancaster County Poultry Queen Contest, Farm and Home Center. Chester County 4-H Swine Show, New Holland Sales Stables, New Holland. Bradford County 4-H County Council, 4-H Building, Troy, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Augusts Eastern Pennsylvania Cham pionship Holstein Show, Kutz town Fairgrounds, Berks County, 10 a.m. Bradford County Holstein Junior Club, Blueberry Festival at Gary Kelleys. Adams County Poultry Queen Contest, 6 p.m., Dobbin House Restaurant, Gettysburg. Chester County 4-H Swine Sale, New Holland, 9 a.m. Old-fashioned horse pull, Wayne County Fair, County Fairgrounds, Honesdale, 1 p.m. Wayne County Fair Livestock Auction, Fairgrounds, 7 p.m. FEW H( CAN/ EA OF COT More than 300 commercial companies will be exhibiting their products for home, farming and country living. Take a day out of. your busy schedule (you’ve earned it) and plan to attend Ag Progress Days. There is no parking or ad mission charge. To Observe Poultry Month The Lancaster County Com missioners have proclaimed August as Poultry Month. So, this is a good time to reflect on the impact of this important industry has on the economy of Lancaster County. Poultry products in Lancaster County provide nourishment for over 6 million people. The value of the poultry products sold totaled over $167 million. It is estimated that nearly 10,000 people are employed in the many different areas of the poultry industry in Lancaster County. The industry is strong because of the dedicated, well-managed poultry farms along with the highly efficient and supportive allied industry. Eggs and poultry meat are two of the most nourishing foods in your health diet. Let’s be supportive of this important part of our agricultural economy during Poultry Month. To Communicate With Legislators How long has it been since you, as a farmer, have been in contact with your senator, congressman, or representive? I’m afraid that too many of us are reluctant to inform our legislators how we feel on certain issues. Yet we expect them to represent us and support SHAME IS A VIRTUE August?, 1986 Background Scripture: Ezekiel 36. Devotional Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-16. When I was a little boy, if someone said to me, “For shame!,” my reaction was predictable; my head would tilt forward, my eyes would be lowered, my mouth turned down and my upper lip stuck out just a big. The word “shame” alone could produce a look of shame on my face. There was nothing unique about my reaction: most children tend to react that way. It is not hard to make a child feel em barrassed, and shame is just an acute sence of embarrassment. As we get older, however, many of us lose some or all of our Sunday, August 10 McKean County Fair; continues through Aug. 17. Huntingdon County Fair, Hun tingdon; continues through Aug. 16. Washington County Agricultural Fair, Washington; continues through Aug. 16. Delaware State Grange Picnic, Wright’s Meadows, near Reliance, 2 p.m. Monday, August 11 South-Central Pa. Championship (Turn to Page A3l) legislation to our satisfaction. It often has been said that far mers do not make enough “noise” when it comes to agricultural legislation. This is no doubt true, but it should not be that way. You have heard the phrase, “the wheel that squeaks the loudest gets the grease.” I feel that too many times those who sound off the loudest do not represent the majority views of our farmers. Don’t hesitate to be on good terms with your elected officials; they will appreciate your opinions and it will help them with their major decisions. To Be Aware Of The Pollen Count The “hay fever” season is here. Despite its name, “hay” is not normally the cause of hay fever. Ragweed is the chief cause. Ninety percent of all allergic reactions to grass and weed pollens are due to ragweed. Hay fever is a seasonal disease. It’s a disease that many people tend to minimize despite the fact that one out of every three suf ferers develop its serious form - chronic asthma. In Lancaster County it is widespread from early August through September when the weed flowers. The best way to destroy ragweed over large areas is by using a weed spray such as 2,4-D. Cutting the plant low, near the roots is recommended for small areas. The best way to prevent the spread of ragweed is to keep idle land covered with grass. The Cooperative Extension Service is an af firmative action, equal opportunity educational institution capacity for shame. We learn to cover over those feelings of vulnerability or at least drive them deep into the unconscious where the reaction is less visable, if often more dangerous. And most of us regard this development as a desired one: no one likes to feel shame and it is more comfortable without it. LOATHED DEEDS But comfort is not always the healthiest condition. Although a sense of shame that is too deep can be harmful to our physical and emotional well-being, too, little sensitivity to shame can also be a problem. The fact is, a balanced sense of shame is a good thing, a necessary thing, in our lives because it helps us to recognize our failures, sins and mistakes. There are times when we need to be ashamed of what we have done or not done, said or not said, been or not been. For, out of shame grows the possibility of repentance and out of repentance rises the possibility of pardon and renewal. Sin is tragic enough by itself, but to sin without a sensitivity to our wrongdoing can be spiritually very dangerous, perhaps even fatal. Shame is what can prevent sin from becoming, not just an oc casional act, but a continuing fact. When the prophet Ezekiel promised the exiled people of Israel that they would be renewed and restored, he also assured them that their sense of shame would be restored as well; “Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourself for your iniquities and your abominable deeds” (36:31). There would be no point in renewing these people if their sense of shame were not to be restored as well. AHEARTOFSTONE The people of Israel had been sinning so long and so deeply that they had lost their sense of shame their hearts had figuratively turned to stone. They could con tinue to sin because, having denied their feelings of shame so long, they no longer had a deep sense of right and wrong. Thus, prophesied Ezekiel, “I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (36:26), a hear that can feel and know the spiritual pain of displeasing our Lord. Based on copyrighted outlines produced by the Committee on the Uniform Senes and used by permission Released by Community and