AlO-Lmcaster Famine, Saturday, August 23,1986
OPINION
You Are Welcome
Pennsylvania Agricultural
Secretary Richard E. Grubb
reports two open letters of thanks.
One from Delaware State Ag
Secretary William Chandler, Jr.,
and one from Thomas Irvin,
Commissioner of the Georgia
Department of Agriculture.
Chandler says, “There are no
words to describe the feeling a
farmer gets when he sees his crops
dying from a severe drought. It’s a
feeling that gathers in the pit of
your stomach and weighs you
down every day. In the midst of the
worst drought in Delaware in a
century, many of you have
managed to lift the spirits of a few
Delaware farmers in a way that
only a good soaking rain could
rival. You’ve reached out with free
hay, trucks and encouragement to
help our farmers fight the dry
weather and continue to feed their
livestock. On behalf of these far
mers and all Delawareans, I want
to say thanks. The hay that you
have given maybe gone in a matter
of days or weeks, but the gesture of
concern for your colleagues in
Delaware will not soon be
forgotten.”
Irvin says, “Record-high tem
peratures on drought conditions
continue to cause multiple
problems for Georgia crop and
livestock producers. However, the
offers of assistance we have
received from across this country
have given us an opportunity to
work toward long-term solutions
for our problems. We contine to be
grateful for the outpouring of
concern from farmers and other
citizens, departments of
agriculture, corporations and
numerous other companies. I am
writing today to inform you of
Georgia’s continuing need for hay
to feed our livestock and to again
ask for your help. We would cer
tainly appreciate any assistance
you can give us in spreading the
word about Georgia’s continuing
hay needs. We understand, as well,
that with time hay donations will
by necessity expire. And we, of
course, will work with you and
your producers in obtaining hay
FARM FORUM
IVR READERS WRITE
Dear Editor
In reference to Gail Stull’s letter in
the Farm Forum August 9 issue
concerning basil being a problem
weed.
It seems she is making reference
to Wild Basil-Satureja vulgans
•description rose-purple flowers,
mingled with hairy bracts that
give them a wooly appearance, are
in a dense rounded cluster at the
top of the square hairy stem and in
smaller clusters in the upper leaf
axils. Flowers, June-Sept. Habitat
-Roadsides, pastures, thickets.
I know of no nursery company
that sells this plant.
Nurseries and herb farms do sell
BIUUV, X WAS JUST
oar in 7we garden.
AND XM AFRAID /
X HAVE SOME /
BAD NEWS i
FOR VOU .< \
for sale. I would like to stress,
however, that this is not the first
year in recent times that Georgia
producers have faced a drought.
For seven of the last nine years,
our producers have suffered from
severe weather in the form of
either droughts, freezes or some
very untimely heavy rains. This
combination has left our producers
in the wc-st financial shape in the
southeast. Again I speak for all
Georgians in thanking you and
your farmers for the tremendous
generousity shown to our state’s
producers during this severe
crisis. We know that with time and
help from our friends like you,
Georgia agriculture will recover.
Your contributions to that
recovery will not be forgotten.”
Grubb, in making announcement
of these open letters, said that
Pennsylvanians should also know
that the department has received
informal expressions of ap
preciation for their generousity
from other drought-affected
states. SSeveral thousand tons of
hay and trucks to haul it south
have been donated through the
department, farm organizations,
civic clubs, business and groups of
private individuals. Hay pledged
through the department’s hotline
has been received by farmers in
South Carolina, North Carolina,
Georgia, Maryland, Delaware,
Florida, Virginia and Alabama.
Many people in Lancaster
Fanning Territory have con
tributed to this generous out
pouring of benevolence. Many
have done so quietly and without
regard to any personal gain or
publicity.
Paul Brubaker of the Mennonite
Disaster Service summed up the
attitude of many farmers who
made contributions of hay and
funds to the haylift. Brubaker said,
“Our fellows keep on working to
help. But they don’t look for very
much publicity.”
So all we can say on behalf of
farmers in response to these let
ters of thanks is a sincere “You are
welcome. We are glad if we can
help a little.”
cultivated Basil-Ocimum
basilicum and other varieties of
basilicum that are annuals and
valuable food seasonings. These
plants are annuals and present no
weed threat.
The importance of indentifying a
plant by the correct Latin name to
avoid this kind of confusion cannot
be over-emphasized.
Back to the pasture problem.
Sounds like pasture rotation,
fertilizing, mowing, reseeding are
needed. The weeds are just in
dicators of a problem with the soil.
Barbara Steele
AUoway Gardens
Littlestown, PA
P.S. Basil, ocimum basilicum is
wonderful minced on garden fresh
tomatoes. We will send you some
recipes to redeem its bad press!
•The Audubon Society
Field Guide to Wildflowers
/V
WWAXS
that:
UNCLE
one f
NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
We are fast approaching silo
filling time; in fact many farmers
are servicing their equipment now.
This is one of the best methods of
harvesting the com crop to obtain
maximum feed nutrients. With our
large tower silos, the danger of
poisonous gases becomes more
important. We urge our farmers to
discuss this hazard with their
employees and all family mem
bers. These gases can develop
from one day to 14 days after the
silo is filled. Most of the gases have
a chlorine-laundry bleach odor and
irritates the eyes and respiratory
system. Some are yellow and some
are colorless. Don’t take any
chances warn all your people of
this danger.
Never enter a party filled silo
without running the blower for at
least 15 minutes. These gases are
heavier than air and will come
Saturday, August 23 Saturday, August 30 information call Rose Dillner
Southeast District 4-H Horse Show, Com Festival, Shippensburg Main 717-532-8155.
Berks County 4-H Center, Street, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. For (Turn to Page A3l)
Leesport.
Pork Fest Recipe Contest, Black
Angus Restaurant, Adamstown
Sullivan County Fair, Forksville;
continues through Aug. 30.
West End Fair, Gilbert; continues
through Aug. 30.
Elizabethtown Community Fair,
Elizabethtown; continues
through Aug. 30.
Indiana County Fair, Indiana;
continues through Aug. 30.
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.
Flemington Agricultural Fair.
Wednesday, August 27
Big Knob Grange Fair, Rochester;
continues through Aug. 30.
Great Stoneboro Fair, Stoneboro;
continues through Sept. 1.
Thursday, August 28
South Mountain Community Fair,
Arendtsville; continues through
Sept. 1.
WELL. X WAS> LOOKING?
OVER OUR SPINACH CROP
AND TM AFRAID
ITS DOING ... )
-x*yg:o3gPEA*rsa~
To Be Alert
For Silo Gas
Sunday, August 24
Monday, August 25
Tuesday, August 26
down the chute and into the bam.
Be careful around recently filled
silos.
To Prepare
For Local Fairs
We are rapidly approaching the
time for local fairs. These times
should be happy events but once
in a while they are not because
planning was not done ahead of
time. This is the time to take
necessary precautions to help
prevent the possibility of taking
disease to the fair with your
animals or bringing infection home
to your farm.
Many fairs require health charts
and specific tests or vaccinations
for animals and poultry. Be sure to
read the health requirements
carefully. And, it doesn’t hurt to be
more strict than what the
regulations may require.
Animals or poultry with any
form of ailment should be left at
home.
When animals or poultry leave
the fair and go home, it’s im
portant to have a place where you
can isolate them and observe them
closely for a period of tiine before
returning them to their herdmates.
If in doubt, consult your
veterinarian for advice.
To Keep Stand-By
Generators In
Order
The value of stand-by generators
was very evident this summer
with the many power failures from
lightning and high winds. The
im(k>rtant thing is to have a
generator that is in good working
condition. We never know when we
DOES GOD
DELIVER?
August 24,1986
Background Scripture: Daniels.
Devotional Reading: Daniel 6:10-
18.
Survival is one of the principal
values in our society today that
is, doing whatever one has to do at
whatever cost to get through a
crisis. All kinds of compromises
and surrenders are blessed in the
name of “survival.”
Now, I’m not against survival, as
such, but neither do I believe it is
the highest of all values. Actually,
in the long run, node of us per
manently survive in this earthly
life. Yes, let’s survive as long as
we can in this situation and that,
but not at the cost of our integrity
in the sight of God.
BUT, IF NOT
That’s one of the things that
will have storms (rain, snow, ice or
wind) that will take away our
regular power source.
Highly mechanized farmers are
urged to test their generators apd
be sure they are in top condition. If
the generator is old, or not in good
condition, it might be wise to invest
in another one. Some losses have
been very high due to the lack of
electricity for a short period of
time. Planning for emergency
action when electric power is off is
very good management.
To Fertilize
Alfalfa
The fall of the year, after the
removal of the last cutting, is a
good time to topdress existing
alfalfa stands. The application of a
phosphorus-pbtash fertilizer
(according to a soil test) in the fall
will strengthen the alfalfa roots
and result in higher yields next
summer. Nitrogen should not be
needed on established alfalfa
stands because alfalfa is a legume
and produces its own nitrogen.
Some growers topdress with
fertilizer in the fall and again after
the removal of the first cutting in
the spring.
This should result in maximum
yields with a healthy stand. When
alfalfa plants are well fed and
treated for insect injury, they
should be able to stand weather
adversities. Alfalfa plants are
heavy feeders on both phosphorus
and potash. Unless these elements
are replaced each year, the plants
and yield will suffer.
The Cooperative Extension Service is an af
firmative action equal opportunity educational
institution
makes the story of Daniel so
provocative for us: it is a story of
survival vs. loyalty. Faced with
what Daniel and his friends faced,
many of us would have said, “What
the heck, if it comes to that, a little
idolatry can’t be all that harmful if
I remain true to God in my heart.”
Or: “I can serve God better, if I
survive!” But Daniel and his
friends Shadrack, Meshach, And
Abednego decided that loyalty to
God was more important than
earthly survival. (Actually, we
might say they were interested in
long-term, rather than short-term
survival.)
Now, the sticky point is that
Daniel and his friends survived
because they were faithful and
loyal to God. Thus, we may be led
to falsely assume that being loyal
is the way to survive. Un
fortunately, we know that it
doesn’t necessarily work that way.
There are lots of examples of
people who have suffered a great
deal because they have tried to
remain loyal, rather than com
promise their faith. The chief
example: Jesus.
DELIVERANCE
We are liable to miss the key to
Daniel and his friends: they did
what they did, not because they
were assured of surviving, but
because they could not bring
themselves to sacrifice their
loyalty to God for the sake of
escaping the fiery furnace;
. . be it known to you, 0 King,
that we will not serve your gods or
worship the golden image you have
set up” (3:18). Even if they were to
die a horrible death, they would not
compromise, for the
“deliverance” they would receive
from God would be of a much
higher order than their physical
deliverance from the furnace.
It would be the deliverance that
counts in the long run the
deliverance of eternity.
Based on copyrighted outlines produced by the
Committee on the Uniform Series and used by
permission Released by Community and
Suburban Press