AlO-iMcaster Farming, Saturday, October 11,1986
OPINION
Times Do Change ■
You were not bom yesterday if
you can remember the noise of the
morning milkman making his
rounds from house to house with
those bottles rattling. Today’s
youth hardly know they existed,
along with the ice man, the baker,
the butcher and others who make
regular stops and deliveries to
homes.
And you are beyond the stage of
puberty if you can recall going out
to the porch on a wintry morning to
see the cream, frozen, and pushing
the cap above that glass, quart
bottle. Woe unto the lad who helped
himself to some of that frozen
delight for this was the cream for
dad’s coffee.
Yes, milk buying habits have
changed through the years as to
location, type of container, and
even the type of product favored by
today’s consumer.
Twenty-eight years ago the
average Pennsylvania milk buyer
had it delivered to the doorstep in
glass quarts and preferred the
regular homogenized product,
though a number at that time still
were buying creamline milk. The
current homogenized product
didn’t come onto the market until
after World War 11.
Today, the consumer brings the
milk home from the store, buys
most of it in paper cartons, plus a
fair amount in plastic, with pur
chases about equally divided
between gallons and half-gallons.
While homogenized milk still is the
most popular, one quarter of the
selections are for low-fat products.
This latest information comes
from the biennial report issued
jointly by the Pennsylvania Milk
Marketing Board and the
Department of Agricultural
Economics at Penn State’s College
of Agriculture. The statistics are
based on October sales in the state
and is entitled “Characteristics of
Fluid Milk Sales in Pennsylvania”.
The first report was for 1957,
though the Milk Marketing Board
has had statistics since its in
ception in the late ’3os. The recent
study shows October, 1985, pur
chases which amounted to over 100
million quarts.
BUYERS SHIFT TO STORES
Back in 1957, nearly 55% of the
milk was home delivered and still
remained at the 45% level in 1965.
By 1975 this had dropped to 14%
and by 1985 only 3.2% of Penn
sylvania milk sales were to the
home. Restaurants and schools
continue to purchase about 7% of
the output.
Of course, if you can remember
back before World War 11, almost
all milk was delivered to the home
on a daily basis, including Sunday,
according to Earl Fink, executive
vice-president of the Harrisburg
based Pennsylvania Association of
Milk Dealers. During the “big
war” every other day delivery
became mandatory to cut gasoline
costs, even though much of the
milk in the big cities still were
using horse-drawn wagons where
the horses knew the routes and the
customers as well as the milkman
themselves.
Then, as delivery costs mounted,
due to the man hours and gasoline
used for a relatively small home
delivery volume, people began to
buy milk at the store, said the milk
dealer spokesman. In addition, the
rise of the readily accessible
convenience stores made such
items as milk more convenient.
This practically marked the end of
house calls by the dairyman.
CONTAINERS CHANGE
Containers also have changed
over the years with new
technology, said Fink. In 1957,
there was no plastic milk bottle in
the state and glass was still a 56%
favorite, most of the rest being in
paper cartons with some bulk
sales, by 1965,60% of sales were in
paper, with glass down to 36%.
Plastic showed up in the ’75 figures
and 31% was in die new container;
glass amounting to under 7%.
Today, less than 1% remains in the
old familiar bottle and paper is just
a bit more popular than plastic
-50% to 46%.
The quart container was the
favorite for decades and when the
report first came out in 1957, 66%
was sold in this bottle. Gallons then
were practically unheard of for
milk. By 1965, the half-gallon
equalled the demand for quarts but
by 1975 only 10% was handled in
the familiar 32 oz. bottle. Then
half-gallons and gallons were
about tied, each getting about one
third the volume. Today, better
than 45% moves out in gallons, 30%
in the two-quart size, with quarts
down to 7%. The rest is in pints,
half-pints, etc.
What does the consumer buy
today?
The original product sold by
dairies was cream-line milk but
after World War II homogenized
milk, fortified with Vitamin D was
introduced, according to the milk
dealer representative. The
homogenization process merely
breaks up the fat globules by
driving the milk with extra force.
This makes it much more
digestible, similar to mother’s
milk.
In 1957 about 15% of the sales
remained in the product with the
cream on top but homogenized
milk was the leader. By 1965, 84%
of the sales were with the no-cream
line milk and 10 years later lowfat
milks began to cut into the regular
milk market. Today, just over half
the milk sold is homogenized with
lowfat and skim products grabbing
about 35%.
“In years gone by no one wanted
skim milk-you couldn’t give it
away,” said Fink. Today, just
about 7% moves with this product,
which means over 7 million quarts
a month in the Keystsone State.
This is due to two reasons.
First, lowfat and skim became
popular in the drive to cut salories.
NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
To Utilize Com Stalks
Corn producers who are not
making the crop into silage might
consider making the com stalks
into bedding materials. The mar
ket value of all livestock bedding is
quite high, and can be used on the
farm or sold to others. After the
com is picked and the stalks dry,
the com can be shredded and
baled.
This material makes very good
bedding for box stalls and feedlot
pens; the fodder absorbs water
rapidly and when shredded gives
less trouble in mechanical hand
ling. When used on the farm as
bedding, it can still be returned to
Farm Calendar / /
Saturday, October 11
Berks County Sheep Tour; contact
Clyde Myers, 215-378-1327.
Ox Roast, Witmer Fire Company.
Maryland Shorthorn Association
Calf Sale, Frederick
Fairgrounds, 7 p.m.
Hay Creek Valley Apple Festival,
Historic Joanna Furnace near
Morgantown, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
UnionvUle Fair Beef Show, 9 a.m.
Sunday, October 12
Mason/Dixon Angus Sale, Hockey
Forge Farm, Hagerstown, Md.,
Actually, this could be a mistake,
he added. “People have a wrong
impression about the amount of fat
in milk, thinking it contains 10%,
20% or more. Actually, less than
4% of the volume is in fat and one
must remember the many great
nutrients in bossy’s best such as
calcium and other minerals.”
In addition, Fink continued,
“The product today is far better
than it was some decades back.
Vitamins A and D are added, the
product often is fortified with extra
skim powder to give it more body
and to improve the flavor. ”
Some 365 distributors of milk
participated in the study of the 1985
sales, including dealers who
process and distribute milk, those
who buy their milk already
packaged but do the delivering
(known as sub-dealers), and
farmers who produce some milk,
may buy additional volume and
also put it on the market. When
these reports were first issued in
the middle ’sos, there were 762
involved in milk distribution and,
according to milk dealer records,
there were well over 1,100 back
before World War 11. Times do
change.
the soil as added organic matter.
To Protect Cora In Storage
Com harvested for grain is an
important crop for most farmers;
therefore, good com storage is
very important. It should be
protected from the weather, given
proper ventilation for drying, and
then protected from rodents. This
rodent menace is one that needs
more attention on many farms.
Mice and rats like to make their
homes in com cribs, and storage
places when given a chance. Make
an effort to eliminate all nesting
places and practice good sanita
tion to keep populations down.
Rats have a new litter every 30
days multiplying so rapidly that
a pair could have 15,000 descen
dants in a year’s life span. All rat
bait stations should be located
where children and pets cannot
come in contact with the bait.
It is estimated that each rat
causes $28.00 in damages. They
are very destructive and are
costing farmers a great deal of
money.
To Practice Good Public Relations
Farmers should be concerned
about their image in the communi
ty. In most cases it’s very good,
and the majority of non-farm
people in rural areas respect the
needs and problems of the farmer.
The image can be improved by
getting better acquainted with
Tuesday, October 14
Dairylea Cooperative Inc. Annual
Meeting, Syracuse. Call 315-476-
1 p.m. Contact Dr. Joseph 9101.
Wiesenbaugh, 301-797-4078.
Monday, October 13
Lancaster Farmer’s Association
Annual Meeting, Country Table
Restaurant, 7; 30 p.m.
Fulton Grange 66 meeting, Fulton
Grange Hall, Oakryn. New
officers will be installed.
WITNESSES AGAINST
OURSELVES
October 12,1986
Background Scripture: Joshua 24.
Devotional Reading: Joshua 23:14-
16.
The trouble with most of us, I
believe, is not that we are insincere
in the vows we take and the
commitments we make, but that
we tend to either forget what we
have promised, or gradually
weakened in our resolve. There
are, of course, times when we may
knowingly and willingly violate our
commitments, but I like to think
that these are the exception, not
the rule.
CHOOSE THIS DAY
It also follows, I believe, that we
are more likely to fulfill our
commitments when we are con
fronted with the reality of choosing
either to do or not do so. Thus, if,
from time to time, we are con
your non-farm neighbors.
We urge farmers to invite
nearby neighbors to see their farm
operation. In many cases a better
understanding of the various farm
operations will eliminate disputes
and hassles about noise and odors.
Also, I would encourage farmers
to become involved with commun
ity activities. You’ll find that
people who understand each other
seldom have serious problems.
To Apply Lime
First test the soil, then apply the
needed lime before the soil
freezes. That 1-2 order of events
should have a high priority now as
we finish one growing season and
plan ahead for the next.
In order to do its job of
correcting soil acidity, like must
come in contact with the soil
particles, not just those on the soil
surface. Weather changes during
the next 6 months will provide just
the right conditions to do lots of
mixing of lime and soil within the
topsoil layer. Freezing and thaw
ing, rain, snow and ice, help to
move the lime downward.
During the fall season fields are
firm and usually dry enough to
allow lime spreading trucks to
move about more easily. Delive
ries of lime can be made on time.
Tht Cooperative Extension
Service is an affirmative action, equal
opportunity educational institute.
Poultry Servicemen’s Seminar,
Holiday Inn-North, Lancaster.
Topic: State Diagnostic system,
6:30 p.m.
Thursday, October 16
Over-order pricing meeting,
Tranquility Community House,
Allamuchy, N. J.
Dillsburg Community Fair,
Dillsburg; continues through
Oct. 18.
(Turn to Page A3l)
fronted with the promises we have
made and are challenged to renew
or reject them, we are much more
likely to be faithful to them. For
ipost of us, then, making a com
mitment is not enough, we need to
be confronted occasionally so that
we may be given the opportunity to
consciously affirm or deny it.
This is what Joshua did with the
people of Israel at Schechem. His
purpose in summoning the elders
of Israel was to remind them of
Israel’s solumn covenant with the
Lord, calling to remembrance,
both what God had done for them
and also what they had promised to
the Lord. This was nothing new to
them the mighty acts of God had
been told and retold throughout
their history and their promises
were well-known to them. So, the
meeting is not to tell them what
they do not know, but to remind
them of what they already know.
WE ARE WITNESSES
Thus, Joshua challenges them
with these dramatic words: “Now
therefore fear the Lord, and serve
him in sincerity and in faith
fulness... And if you are unwilling
to serve the Lord, choose this day
whom you will serve...” (24:14,15).
This is not the first time that Israel
has been challenged to make this
commitment. Actually, the
meeting at Schechem is an op
portunity to renew it.
There is no equivocation on the
part of the people. When Joshua
warns them against a divided
loyalty, they respond: “Nay; but
we will serve the Lord.” And
Joshua responds, “You are wit
nesses against yourselves that you
have chosen the Lord to serve
him.” Undaunted, the people
reply, “We are witnesses.”
Are there not many times when
you and I need to be confronted
with such an opportunity to con
sider and renew our vows and
covenants?
Based on the copyrighted Outlines produced by
the Committee on the Uniform Senes and used
by permission. Released by Community ft
Suburban Press.