AlO-Uncaster Farming, Saturday, August 30,1986
Cheap Food And Fall Political Races
America’s 2,328,000 farmers
provide the food and fiber for 201
million people in the U.S., plus
another 70 million in other parts of
the world. No other country has
this kind of production efficiency.
The most recent U.S. Depart
ment of Agriculture figures in
dicate that it costs a farmer $517.98
to raise enough food for one person
for a year. This comes to a
production cost of $139.5 billion to
feed 271 million people.
According to Dean Belt,
University of Delaware Extension
Agricultural Agent, one U.S.
farmer now grows enough food for
116 people. “We are the best fed
nation in the world,” Belt says.
“And at the same time, we spend
only 15 percent of our after-tax
income on food-much less than in
most other countries. As con
sumers, Americans are very
fortunate that farmers are able to
produce the variety of foods they
do for such a low cost.”
For every dollar Americans
spend for food, however, the
fanner gets only 27 cents. The rest
of that dollar, goes to support the
many jobs made possible by the
farmer. It takes 13 million people
to market and retail the food and
fiber farmers produce. It requires
an additional 5.4 million people to
sell the seeds, equipment and other
Background Scripture: Daniel 7
through 8.
Devotional Reading; Daniel 9:14-
19.
When we were children, we
probably never wondered about
"Who’s in charge?” We assumed
someone was m charge of life and
the universe, because that’s the
way the world seems to be.
But, as we get older, we may
begin to wonder if our first im
pression was, in fact, on target. Is
there someone or some thing in
charge, and, if so, who or what?
Give this question enough thought
and you will likely consider one or
more of the following possible
answers:
1. God’s in charge.
2. Human beings are in charge.
3. Nature’s in charge.
4. Fate’s in charge.
5. Nothing is in charge.
Only answer number one is
really satisfying to me. If people
are in charge of the universe, that
is, in light of our ingenious
capacity for failure, very
frightening indeed. Nor is it any
more reassuring to think that
“Nature" might be in charge, or
“Fate” (for who’s in charge of
“Fate”?). Worst of all is the
thought that nothing or no one is in
charge, that the world is stumbling
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farming inputs and to provide the
services such as transportation
and storage used by farmers.
A loaf of bread is one way to
illustrate the farmer’s current
economic plight. A 54-cent, one
pound loaf of white bread contains
5.1 cents worth of wheat, lard,
soybean oil, com syrup and dairy
products. That’s all the farmer
gets from its sale. The rest of the
money goes to pay for manufac
turing, marketing, transportation
andadvertisig.
With all the talk about govern
ment wanting to help the farmer in
the midst of financial crisis, you
can’t help wondering where the
political heart really lies.
Representative Jim Jeffords, R
VT, last week told delegates to the
Milk Marketing Inc.’s mid-year
meeting in Columbus, Ohio, that
President Reagan nor congress
would support any supply
management program that could
possibly increase food prices to
consumers.
Jeffords pointed out that 435
congressional and 33 senate seats
are up for election this year. You
get the definite impression that
cheap food for the consumer is a lot
more important to at least some of
our politcians in Washington than a
fair income for our farmers’
production efficiency.
WHO’S IN
CHARGE?
August 31,1986
along on pure chance.
FRIGHTENING OPTIONS
Of course, it’s not just a matter
of who is “in charge” of this
universe, but that even greater
issue that goes beyond the present
moment: is there a plan, a purpose
and some fulfillment to which
we’re headed 7 This is not just a
matter of intellectual curiosity and
speculation. For, what we believe
about the answers to these
questions has a great deal to do
with how we live life right now. If
there’s no purpose to all of this,
then why try 7 But, if quite beyond
my own efforts and meaning, God
has an eternal purpose for us and
the whole of creation, 1 am freed to
live on a higher level in the here
and now.
THE END TIME
That’s why from time to time we
need people like Daniel to find and
share a vision that looks beyond
the present moment and even
beyond our own time and place:
“Understand, 0 son of man, that
the vision is for the time of the
end” (8:17). For, no matter how
obscure the symbols in the
prophet’s vision, the message is
clear: God is in charge and the end
of all things is m his hands.
Based on copyrighted outlines produced by the
Committee on the Uniform Senes and used by
permission Released by Community and
Suburban Press
OH- ABOUT A DOZEN HEAD OF
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NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
To Control Joimsongrass
This sorghum-like grass is a
problem on many fields in this part
of the state. There are cases where
nothing is being done to control this
weed; for those I would remind you
that Joimsongrass is listed as a
noxious weed in Pennsylvania. In
com there is little that can be done
at this time of year except cut the
seed-head off and bum them. It’ll
require treatment at planting
time.
However, in other fields such as
small grains, where the growth of
Johnsongrass reaches 2% to 3 feet -
- in the boot stage - the plants may
be sprayed with Roundup. These
plants are very heavy seed
producers; a few plants allowed to
go to seed this fall will mean
hundreds of plants next summer.
Johnsongrass is fast growing and
will crowd out most farm crops.
We urge landowners to make every
effort to eliminate Johnsongrass
Saturday, August 30
Com Festival, Shippensburg Main
Street, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. For
information call Rose Dillner at
717-532-6155.
Juniata County Fair, Port Royal;
continues through Sept. 6.
Peach Harvest Festival, Maple
Lawn Farms, New Park.
Sunday, August 31
Spartansburg Community Fair,
Spartansburg.
Monday, September 1
Cambria County Fair, Ebensburg;
continues through Sept. 6.
Ox Hill Community Fair, Home;
continues through Sept. 6.
Waterford Community Fair,
Waterford; continues through
Sept. 6.
West Alexander Fair, West
Alexander; continues through
Sept. 6.
Wednesday, September 3
Lancaster Conservation District
Board Meeting.
Dallas Area Fall Fair, Dallas;
continues through Sept. 7.
Thursday, September 4
Pa. Holstein Championship Show,
9:30 a.m. Ag Arena, Penn State.
W. Md. Ag Field Day, Research
Education Center, Keedysville;
reservations advised. Call 301-
791-2298.
CARPI
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Farm Calendar
( AND FOURTY FIVE
\ BILLION FLIES/
from their farm. The 1986-86
Agronomy Guide lists control
information.
To Be Safe During
This Busy Season
We are entering one of the
busiest and most hazardous times
of the year... silo filling and com
picking time. Blend into that time
wheat and barley planting and the
last cutting of alfalfa. This means
a lot of farm machinery will be on
our highways during semi-dark or
dark hours.
Slow moving vehicles such as
farm equipment traveling on
highways present a real traffic
hazard. The motorist must
recognize that a tractor traveling
at 10 to 15 miles per hour is almost
standing still compared to a 55
mph car. Most highway drivers
have never driven a farm machine
on the highway and simply do not
realize how slow they do travel.
Proper identification and
warning is very important. Let’s
keep alert this busy fall season
both on the highway and in the
fields.
To Mow or Not
To Mow Alfalfa
Each year we receive a lot of
calls as to whether alfalfa should
be cut the first part of September
or not. According to crop
authorities it is not just a simple
yes or no question. If you have left
one of your cuttings go into full
bloom, then you do not need to be
■concerned; however, if you have
not, then do not cut the first two
weeks of September. The reason
for this is, it’s the period when the
plants are storing food in
Friday, September 5
30th Annual Thurmont and Em
mitsburg Community Show,
Catoctin High School, Thur
mont, Md.; continues through
Sept. 7.
York Interstate Fair, York;
continues through Sept. 13.
Saturday, September 6
Open House, Sire Power
Headquarters, Tunkhannock;
contact DuWayne Kutz at 717-
836-3127.
District 4-H Horse Show,
Hughesville Fairgrounds, 8:30
a.m.
Sunday, September 7
108th Annual PennAg Convention,
Seven Springs Resort,
Champion; continues through
Sept. 9.
Monday, September 8
Bellwood Antis Farm Show,
Bellwood; continues through
Sept. 11.
Green Township Fair, Com
modore; continues through
Sept. 13.
Monday, September 9
Claysburg Farm Show, Claysburg;
continues through Sept. 12.
Albion Area Fair, Albion; con
tinues through Sept. 13.
Recreational Vehicle Show, Farm
Show Complex, Harrisburg;
continues through Sept. 14.
developing rhizomes for next
year’s growth. To disturb this
development will result in less
rhizomes and less growth next
year. The final cutting can be
made in late September or early
October. On stands that have been
established this spring, from which
one or two cuttings have already
been made, it’s best to allow it to
stand; this will give a little better
winter protection.
The application of a phosphate
potash fertilizer this fall is a good
practice. Use your soil results as a
guide on rates of application.
To Protect Yourself
From Mosquitos
If you enjoy being outdoors but
hate being eaten alive by
mosquitos and biting flies, Dr.
Clarence Collision, Extension
Entomologist at Penn State,
some good advice. It’s a che-
called Deet and it can be f(
most personal insect repellent.
For best resistance, look on the
label for a Deet concentration of at
least 50 percent Aerosols can be
applied to clothing, while foams
and lotions can be used directly on
the skin. Lotions have the best
repellent properties. If you are
going to be out in a deep woods
area where the population of biting
insects is very high, lotions would
behest.
Repellents containing Deet can
be safely applied to the skin,
however, repellents can be
irritating so be especially careful
when you are protecting children
and avoid getting lotions or sprays
in eyes or mouth.
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Wednesday, September 10
Lebanon County Flower Show, 4 to
10 p.m., Lebanon Valley Ex
position Building, Cornwall and
Evergreen Roads, Lebanon.
Continues Thursday from 10
a.m. to 9 p.m.
Greenhouse Growers School,
Lancaster Farm and Home
Center, Wednesday afternoons;
continue through Sept. 29.
Berlin Brothers Valley Fair,
Berlin; continues through Sept.
13.
Williamsburg Community Farm
Show, Williamsburg; continues
through Sept. 16.
Soil Aeration Technology
Demonstration, Hathorne
Farms, Stanley, N. Y.
Thursday, September 11
Farm City Council Kick-Off
Banquet, Wilson College,
Chambersburg.
Saturday, September 13
Weekend horse ride in Blue
Mountains, sponsored by
Central Berks Riding Club. For
flyer call Gene or Beverly at
717-366-1131.
Extension
Economist
To Speak
HONESDALE The speaker for
the annual dinner meeting of the
Wayne County Cooperative Ex
tension Association scheduled for
Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Bethany
Methodist Church Hall will be H.
Louis Moore, agricultural
economist, Penn State University.
A milk punch reception will be
held from 7:30-7:45 p.m.
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Additional activities will include
the election of seven new members
to the Extension executive com
mittee and distribution of the
annual report. Robert Muller Sr.,
president, of the Extension
Executive Committee will conduct
the meeting.
All persons interested in Ex
tension work are welcome to at
tend