OPINION
No life Without Quality Water
Ag Progress Days start next
week south of State College at
Rock Springs. “Water Quality In
Your Life”, the theme of this
year’s event at first doesn’t seem
to have much to do with plowing,
planting, making hay and picking
com. But it soon breaks into your
thinking that not many of these
farming activities would get done
if we didn’t have enough good
quality water in our lives.
Those in drought-stricken areas
of the country know first hand the
hardship of limited and polluted
water supplies. And travelers to
other countries for many years
have been warned not to drink the
water because of dysentery
problems from pollution.
In most areas we have been
blessed to the point where we often
look at water as an unlimited free
commodity to be used without
thought of proper stewardship. We
think the streams in our meadows
will continue to flow endlessly. The
wells, springs and cisterns on our
farms will always supply abundant
clear, clean, fresh water for our
livestock and our families.
But we’ve had a rude awakening
in recent years. The urban
population with its appetite for
water supplies and need for
sewage disposal has invaded our
rural areas. Nonpoint pollution of
agricultural water with nitrates
and chemicals has increased to the
point of alarm.
In a publication distributed this
week by The League of Women
Voters in Pennsylvania, we are
reminded that the Chesapeake Bay
is a national treasure in serious
trouble from the pressures im
posed on it by man. Although many
factors contribute to the decline of
the bay, the studies generally
agree that the substantial increase
in nutrients and toxics pose the
most serious threat to the bay’s
Farm Calendar
Saturday, August 16
Central Pennsylvania Cham
pionship Holstein Show, Hun
tingdon Fairgrounds, 6 p.m.
Northeast District 4-H Dairy Show,
Troy.
Lancaster County Beekeepers
Meeting, Robert Fulton Inn, Rt.
222 south of Quarryville, 12:30
p.m.
Southcentral Pork Producers
Memorial
Picnic,
Shippensburg, 6; 30 p.m.
Somerset County Fair, Meyer
sdale; continues through Aug.
24.
Bucks County 4-H Fitting and
Showmanship Contest, Mid
dletown Grange Fairgrounds,
Wrightstown, 11 a.m.
Grand Squares Dance, East
UNCLE ons,
BEFORE r
MACHINE.
MACHINES
BRING- IN
resources. Discharges from in
dustry and municipal waste water
treatment plants can contain toxic
substances, principally metals,
chlorine and chlorinated organic
compounds. Nonpoint sources of
toxics include urban runoff and air
pollution which contribute lead and
zinc to the Susquehanna and the
bay. In addition, runoff form rural
agricultural areas contains
pesticides and herbicides.
So along with all of the big
equipment field demonstrations
and hay judging events that lure us
to Ag Progress Days next week,
let’s also take a look at the exhibits
in the theme building.
There you will find a feature that
PSU has designed for home water
treatment that can hook into
municipal water systems. Safe
chemical application for farmers
related to spray nozzels and water
quality. How to protect your
ground water. A model that shows
recommended drainage
procedures to control runoff from
livestock pens.
Another exhibit shows the cost of
water in perspective compared to
other services and products. It also
shows the cost of not having good
water. Such as the cost of disease
outbreaks, facts and figures
related to acid rain in Penn
sylvania and its affects. Insects
and water quality assessment will
feature two live stream en
vironments to demonstrate that
life in streams is an early indicator
of water quality. Home lawn
pollution shows how runoff from
fertilizer and other home lawn
applications can be a problem.
We believe water will exceed
biotechnology in importance and
impact on agriculture in the near
future. So it behooves us to take a
trip to Ag Progress Days next
week and leam about water
quality in our life. Really there is
no life without it.
Petersburg Fireball.
Weekend Horse Ride in Blue
Mountains, featuring catered
meals and live band. For flyer
call Gene or Beverly at 717-366-
1131.
Sunday, August 17
Crawford County Fair, Meadville;
continues through Aug. 23.
Fulton County Fair, Mc-
Connelsburg; continues
through Aug. 23.
Mountain Area Fair, Farmington;
continues through Aug. 23.
Monday, August 18
Park,
Crawford County Fair, Meadville;
continues through Aug. 23.
Tuesday, August 19
Ag Progress Days, Rock Springs
Research Station, Penn
sylvania Furnace; continues
IN 7 UE OLD DAY 3
NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agen
To Ensile Cora
At The Proper
Stage
Most of our com crop looks good
after the recent rain and com
silage is an important part of the
feeding program in dairy and
feeder cattle. Harvesting com at
the right time is very important.
I’d like to point out that more feed
nutrients will be harvested if the
ear can be allowed to mature into
the early dent stage. Silage
research reveals that com made
into silage in the silk stage will
yield only 63 percent feed
nutrients, while com in the dent
stage should give silage with 69
percent feed nutrients. *
The important thing is to allow
the ear to develop properly before
ensiling, if at all possible. Com
silage is a valuable crop; let’s
through Thursday.
Northeast Pennsylvania Cham
pionship Holstein Show, 9:30
a.m., Troy Fairgrounds.
Elk County Fair; continues
through Aug. 23.
Harford Fair, Harford; continues
through Aug. 23.
Hookstown Grange Fair,
Hookstown; continues through
Aug. 23.
Perry County Fair, Newport;
continues through Aug. 23.
Cumberland County 4-H Swine
Roundup, Carlisle Livestock
Market; show, 9:30 a.m., sale at
6 p.m.
Wednesday, August 20
District FFA Dairy Show, Kutz
town.
Pennsylvania Nurserymen’s
Association advertising
seminar, Holiday Inn, Pitt
sburgh.
Performance Tested Boar Sale,
MAEC, State College.
Dawson Grange Fair, Dawson;
continues through Aug. 23.
Lehigh County 4-H Market Hog
Roundup, Quakertown
Livestock Market; show at 9
a.m., sale, 4 p.m.
Lancaster County 4-H Fair,
Manheim Farm Show Complex,
Manheim; continues tomorrow.
Thursday, August 21
Mount Nebo Grange Fair,
Sewickley; continues through
Aug. 23.
Southeast District FFA Dairy
Show, Kutztown Fairgrounds, 8
a.m. to noon.
Wye Field Day, Wye Research
Center, Carmichael, Md.
Friday, August 22
Southeast District 4-H Show,
Kutztown.
Centre County Grange Fair,
Centre Hall; continues through
Aug. 28.
***
make every effort to harvest the
maximum feed nutrients.
To Check For
Next Year’s Cora
Rootworm
Com rootworm numbers appear
to be high in many fields this year,
according to Dr. Dennis Calvin,
Extension entomologist at Penn
State. The mild winter tem
peratures and adequate snow
cover probably contributed to good
survival of overwintering eggs. In
a number of cases, economic levels
have been reported in second year
com. That economic level is
achieved when at least three roots
are chewed back to within 1%
inches of the plant. Decisions to
apply an insecticide next year
should be based on peak adult
numbers counted this year.
Because of the warm spring and
hot summer temperatures adult
emergence appears to be about
two weeks earlier than last year.
So if you see a lot of little green
beetles around your home within
the next couple weeks, that’s the
adult stage of the com rootworm,
and will be your indicator for next
year’s problem.
To Apply For _
Gasoline Tax
Refund
I would like to remind our far
mers that applications for the
Pennsylvania Liquid Fuel Tax
Refund should be filed before Sept.
30.
Farmers may apply for an 11
cent per gallon refund on all liquid
Saturday, August 23
Southeast District 4-H Horse Show,
Berks County 4-H Center,
Leesport.
Sunday, August 24
Sullivan County Fair, Forksville;
continues through Aug. 30.
West End Fair, Gilbert; continues
through Aug. 30.
Monday, August 25
Elizabethtown Community Fair,
Elizabethtown; continues
through Aug. 30.
OUR WORST
SUBJECT
August 17,1986
Background Scripture: Daniel 1.
Devotional Reading: Daniel 5:1-8.
Forgive me for repeating that
old story of the little boy who
brought home his report card with
an “E” in discipline. Challenged
by his father, he explained blithely
that “Oh, discipline is my worst
subject.”
For lots of us, “discipline is our
worst subject,” and many of us are
even less successful with self
discipline. In this self-indulgent
age in which we live, it may seem
that discipline is one of the least
desirable arts. After all, who needs
it?
ESTEEM AND
DISCIPLINE
And the answer that may sur
prise some: M of us! As one who
YOU'RE LOOKING
AT ONE OF 'EM /
fuels used in non-licensed tractors
when used off the highway for
agricultural purposes, or non
licensed power farm machinery
used for actual farm work. This
includes fuel used in all auxiliary
engines on balers, elevators and
other stationary equipment.
The liquid fuel tax is for all farm
production fuel used between July
1,1985 and June 30,1986.
The people who have not already
received applications should apply
by writing: Board of Finance and
Revenue, Room 409, Finance
Building, Harrisburg, PA 17120 or
by calling 717-787-3365.
Remember, applications
received after Sept. 30 will not be
honored; they must be filed on
time. The time to do it is now.
To Fertilize
Strawberries
The new strawberry patch that
you planted this spring should be
pushing runners by this time of
year. It’s a good idea to fertilize
these new plantings during August.
A fertilizer high in nitrogen of
nitrogen only would be best.
The objective is to encourage
more runners and develop a
stronger plant. It will also increase
yields for next summer. Another
thing, weeds must be controlled at
all times to have a healty
strawberry patch. The earlier in
the summer we can get the runner
plants to take root, the better they
will be established for next year.
The Cooperative Extension Service is an af
firmative action equal opportunity educational
institution
Indiana County Fair, Indiana;
continues through Aug. 30.
Tuesday, August 26
Jamestown Community Fair,
Jamestown; continues through
Aug. 30.
Wattsburg Fair, Wattsburg;
continues through Aug. 31.
Allentown Fair, Allentown; con
tinues through Sept. 1.
Greene-Dreher Sterling Fair,
Newfoundland; continues
through Sept. 1.
has been counselling for more than
30 years, I have found that one of
the most frequent problems is a
lack of self-esteem. Furthermore,
one of the main reasons that many
people lack an adequate level of
self-esteem is that they have never
succeeded in learning to discipline
themselves. While they may revel
in being “free” from the strictures
of self-discipline, they suffer
greatly from the realization that
they are not really in conscious
control of their own lives.
One of the keys to self-discipline
is practice. The more often we suc
cessfully discipline ourselves
act in accordance with what we
have freely decided to do the
stronger we become in self
discipline.
If we leam how to discipline
ourselves in non-essential matters,
we will be more likely to control
ourselves in things, that are
critical. So, if you’re saving self
discipline for a “rainy day,” you
may find that when the rains come
it is too late to leam how to do it.
DANIEL RESOLVED
Note that when Daniel decided to
abstain from the king’s rich food, it
was his own decision. The writer of
Daniel does not say or even
suggest that God had required this
abstinance. Furthermore, it
probably was not an issue that
decided the course of Israel’s
future. It was likely one of those
issues that might be labeled
“desirable” but not “essential,”
exactly like many of the issues that
face us.
But in Daniel’s mind it seemed
important to avoid the rich food of
the King, food which probably
violated Israel’s dietary laws,
although we cannot be certain of it.
Nevertheless, “Daniel resolved
that he would not defile him
self. ..” It proved to be one of the
most important decisions he ever
made.
Based on copyrighted outlines produced by the
Committee on the Uniform Series and used by
permission Released by Community and
Suburban Press