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OPINION
Agriculturally Illiterate
Fewer and fewer people have
first-hand experience on the farm.
So today’s farmers are not really
understood by the urban public.
You could say most people are
illiterate. We are not talking about
reading and writing. We are
talking about being agriculturally
illiterate.
Until the 1930 s you just naturally
knew where milk, meat, corn and
wheat came from. Not only from
practical experience, but also from
your school textbooks. You
compared apples with oranges in
arithmatic. Your reading primer
referred to bam yards, chicken
coops and milk stations. (You took
the milk cans to be dumped by
hand into the weigh station and
onto the tank truck. Remember?)
Today’s writers of textbooks
think of space travel, electronics
and video. Less and less
agricultural experiences are
related in stories and problems. So
while the level of education may or
may not have improved, the
knowledge about agriculture
certainly has decreased.
To develop an awareness of
agriculture and to create an ap
plication for its impact on lifestyle,
the United States Department of
Agriculture initiated an effort
known as agriculture in the
classroom. A major emphasis of
the USDA is to coordinate and
create channels of communication
Farm Calendar
Saturday, September 20
Pa. State Dairy Princess Pageant,
Harrisburg Marriott. Reception
at 5:30 p.m., banquet at 6:30
p.m.
Little Buffalo Festival of the Arts,
Little Buffalo State Park,
Newport.
Delaware Valley Old Time Power
and Equipment Association
Annual Show, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Lambertville, N.J. Continues
tomorrow.
Londonvale Run Antique Auto
Show and Flea Market,
Paradise Community Park.
Huntingdon County Fall Family
Festival, downtown Hun
tingdon, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Grand Squares Square Dance,
East Petersburg Fireball, 8
p.m.
Sunday, September 21
Pa. Meat Packers Association
meeting, Nittany Lion Inn,
State College
Farm Safety Week begins; con
tinues through Sept. 27.
Monday, September 22
Bloomsburg Fair, Blooms burg;
continues through Sept. 27.
Reading Fair, Reading; continues
through Sept. 28.
il
among different state educational
systems.
In New York state the Depart
ment of Agriculture and Markets
has joined with Cornell University
Farm Bureau and the state
education department to create the
New York Agriculture in
Classroom project. The main ef
fort is to include agricultural
awareness in grades K to 12.
Another entrance agriculture
has made into the thinking of ur
ban and intercity youth has been
through the 4-H Club program. Dr.
Lamratrine Hood, Dean of Penn
State University, spoke this week
of the inter-Philadelphia 4-H Club
as a very rewarding program. And
while us production farmers don’t
always feel comfortable to have
Extension expand their efforts into
the intercity, especially in light of
funding cuts, yet the point is well
taken that 4-H in the city can be a
means for ag to reach into the lives
of young people. People who would
have no other way to know the
functional value of four fauces on
the bottom of a cow.
So the challenge is here. Let’s do
all we can to provide intelligent
communication with young people
and older people alike. Com
munication that lets people know
about agriculture. Let’s do all we
can to give them a proper
education.
Pa. All-American Dairy Show,
Farm Show Complex,
Harrisburg; continues through
Sept. 26.
Pa. Association of Weights and
Measures annual meeting,
Sheraton Harrisburg East.
Md. PDCA Junior Dairyman
Contest, Md. Frederick Fair.
Hunterdon County, N.J. Wood lot
Management Program; for
information call Adult
Education at 201-788-1405. Will
be repeated Sept. 29.
Pa. Junior Dairy Show,
Harrisburg.
Grange Booster Night, covered
dish supper, 7 p.m., Fulton
Grange Hall.
Tuesday, September 23
Ephrata Fair, continues through
Sept. 27.
Morrison Cove Community Fair,
Martinsburg; continues
through Sept. 26.
Elite Ayrshire Sale, Farm Show
Complex, Harrisburg.
4-H and FFA Dairy Judging
Forum, Harrisburg.
Beef Check-off meeting, Farm and
Home Center, Lancaster, 7 p.m.
Huntingdon County Dairy
Promotion Meeting, Extension
Meeting Room, 8 p.m.
NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
To Be Aware
of Frosted Crops
Colder weather means frost. In
fact this is good news to many of us
who have had enough of hot humid
weather this summer. Livestock
producers who have fields of
sudan-sorghum hybrids, should
keep in mind that when frost hits
these crops they could be toxic to
livestock for seven to ten days
following the freeze. After this
period and when the plants are
dead, they may be used safely.
However, any growth coming from
the plant after a killing frost might
also be toxic.
Another frost hazard would be to
permit livestock to graze alfalfa or
clover stands while the frost is still
on the plants. This can cause
severe bloating. Allow the frost to
melt and the plants to dry before
grazing. Good management is
Wednesday, September 24
Pa. Poultry Conference, Holiday
Inn, Grantville; continues
tomorrow.
West Lampeter Fair, Lampeter;
continues through Sept. 26.
Pa. Foundation Seed Cooperative
annual meeting, State College.
York County Beekeepers Meeting,
Extension Service Meeting
Room, 7 p.m.
Beef Check-off meeting, Farm and
Home Center, Lancaster, 7 p.m.
Thnraday, September 25
National Hay Association Con
vention, Contemporary Hotel,
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.; con
tinues through Sept. 27.
Tri-Valley Community Fair,
Hegins; continues through Sept.
28.
Pa. Forestry Association Annual
Meeting, Allenberry Playhouse,
Boiling Springs.
Schuylkill County Agricultural
Extension Meeting, 6:30 p.m.,
First United Church of Christ,
Schuylkill Haven.
Bradford County Pesticide License
Update Training, Extension
office, Towanda, 7:30 p.m.
Penn State Crops Day, Southeast
Field Research Lab, Lan
disville, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For
brochure call 717-820-3085.
Friday, September 26
Harvest Day Celebration, Lan
caster Square.
Saturday, September 27
New Holland Sales Stables Annual
Heifer Sale.
Christmas Tree Growers Short
Course, Cook College, New
Brunswick. Call 201-932-9271 for
details.
Ag Awareness Day, Flemington,
N.J., free farm tours in North
Hunterdon County, noon to 5
p.m.
needed on various forage crops
after a killing frost.
To Be Careful
During Silo Filling
Two problems occur during silo
filling time. One is overloading
wagons causing broken spindles,
twisted frames and bent axles.
Corn silage is heavy and
overloaded wagons crossing dit
ches or ruts in fields causes ex
cessive strain on equipment. If
your wagon is full when only half
way around the field, change
wagons; the “down time” to make
repairs is more costly than the
time to change wagons.
The other problem is “silo gas”.
We are receiving calls concerning
silo gas. These gases can develop
from one day to 14 days after the
silo is filled. Most of these gases
have a chlorine-laundry bleach
odor. Some are yellow and some
are colorless. Don’t take any
chances—never enter a partly
filled silo without running the
blower for at least 15 minutes.
These gases are heavier than air
and will come down the chute into
the bam. Be careful around
recently filled silos.
To Consult
Your Veterinarian
Being on excellent terms with
your local veterinarian is a good
thing. Most producers need some
veterinary assistance once in a
while. Developing a health
program and sanitary practices
for the farm operation is strongly
suggested. Veterinarians are
trained in disease prevention and
treatment with the most important
Western Pa. Pork Field Day,
Butler Farm Show Grounds, 9
a.m. to3p.m.
Monday, September 29
Delaware State Grange Leader’s
meeting, Capital Grange Hall, 8
p.m.
Thursday, October 2
Keystone International Livestock
Wednesday, October 1 Exposition, Harrisburg; con-
Lancaster Conservation District tinues through Oct. 6.
Board Meeting (Turn to Page A 39)
BY [Awmnt W Al IHUUM
*wma.
COME UP HIGHER!
September 21,1986
Background Scripture:
Genesis 17
Devotional Reading:
Galatians 3:15-22.
There are always three things
that strike me when I read the
story of Abraham in Genesis 17.
First of all, I am always strode by
the ages of Abram and Sarai: 99
and 90 respectively! At an age
when people are long past what we
regard today as a productive age,
Abram and Sarai, heretofore
childless, were now to become
parents! I’m so glad God waited
until these two people were in their
90’s, for it should remind us that
advanced age is a time when God
still has something for us to do and
be. One is never too old to be
singled out by God for a task. One
never “retires” from God’s ser
vice.
MV OLD TRACTOR
GOT STOCK IN THAT
MUD DOW N BVlhiE
RIVER AND WE
SPENT THE WHOLE
MORN/NCr
POLLING HER OUT.
part being disease prevention.
When this is successful there is
little need for high veterinary
costs.
We suggest that producers
regard their veterinarian as a
valuable resource person for their
farm operation; there may be
times when it might be expensive;
however, preventing infection and
saving animals are things that
must be done in order to make the
most profit. Give your vet a chance
to help.
Most producers are about
finished with their spray materials
for the year. Many of these can be
held over until next year with good
results. However, it is always best
to buy only enough for one season
at a time. When storing spra T ’
materials, always keep them
their original containers and i
from children, pets and livest
It is best to have a separate room
or building for pesticide storage.
Wettable powders are easy to
store; however, emulsions and
liquids may be harmed by freezing
weather. Producers are urged to
follow the label and instructions in
this respect. It may be necessary
to keep some of them in a heated
building. Be sure they are not near
feed supplies because accidents
can happen. Pesticides kept in a
room or building under a lock is a
good way to prevent costly
mistakes and tragedies.
The Cooperative Extension Service is an af
firmative action, equal opportunity educational
institution
New Holland Fanner’s Fair, New
Holland; continues through Oct.
Eastern Milk Producer’s
Cooperative Annual Meeting,
Syracuse.
NO LONGER
The second feature of this story
that strikes me is the fact that
Abram and Sarai are renamed by
God. Even the degree of change is
significant: Abram becomes
Abraham, and Sarai becomes
Sarah - both similar and yet
somewhat different - Just as later
Saul would become Paul. These
changes in name signal a con
tinuity with the past and also a new
reality. Abraham and Sarah would
still look like the old Abram and
Sarai, they would still sound like
and act like them. But there would
also be a difference, a change
great enough to justify a new
name.
sn
What this means is that when
God calls us to be “new persons,”
it doesn’t mean that we will be
totally unlike what we have been
before, but that all of those traits,
features and factors will be
organized around a new center. It
is as our lives become refocused.
The third thing that strikes me
about this story is Abraham’s all
too-human response to God’s
promise: “Then Abraham fell on
his face and laughed, and said to
himself, “Shall a child be born to a
man who is a hundred years old?
Shall Sarah, who is ninety years
old, bear a child?’ ” (17:17).
Sometimes God’s promises to us do
seem absurd, but it is only our lack
of faith that introduces the element
of absurdity.
KEEP THE COVENANT
If an angel were to appear before
you today and proclaim that God
would be making a “new person”
of you, you might not actually
laugh, but perhaps you would think
it an absurd promise. “Who?”
“Me?” “At this time in my life?”
‘ ‘A change to what? ” But think of it
simply as a call to “come up
higher,” to take one or more
significant steps upward from
whatever you are to whatever in
God’s sight you can be.
Based on copyrighted Outlines produced by
the Committee on the Uniform Series and used
by permission. Released by Community &
Surburban Press.
To Store
Pesticides Safely