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OPINION
We Love Our Cows
Sometimes we are a little
careless about the environment we
create for our cows this time of
year. As we traveled around with
Dr. Zilhardt this week, we
recognized some things that far-
mers overlook in this busy time of
getting the crops into the ground.
We were especially conscious of
some meadows with debris and
broken down fences in the cow
pastures. These obstacles provide
a nosy cow with the opportunity to
injure herself. Cows do get injured
by other bossy cows and riding
during heat cycles. And there
probably is not very much we can
do about this kind of injury. But
obstacles in meadows and holding
| j FARM FORUM our readers write J
Editor:
For some time I have been
meaning to write you and thank
you for your fine publication,
Lancaster Fanning. But as so
often such things are often delayed
much too long. But the real reason
that has prompted me to write at
this time is to especially thank
Chester Hughes for his column
beep briefs. I find his articles very
informative. And as a beef
breeder, extremely helpful. So
helpful in fact that last week I had
cut down several trees of which
one was a wild cherry tree and
piled the branches on a brush pile
in the middle of the pasture for
burning at a later date. I stated the
Farm Calendar
Saturday, May 23
NW Keystone Jr. Beef Classic,
Fairgrounds, Meadville.
W. Pa. Rabbit Breeders,
Fairgrounds, Meadville.
Maryland State 4-H Dairy Bowl,
Symons Hall, University of
Maryland.
Pa. Flying Farmers monthly
meeting, home of Robert and
Verna Sollenberger; lunch, 1
p.m. Call 717-867-2384 for more
information.
Bradford County dairy princess
pageant, Towanda High School,
8:15 p.m.
Wednesday, May 27
Hunterdon County Woodlot
Management Program,
Vorhees High School.
Saturday, May 30
York County dairy princess
pageant, 4-H Center, 8 p.m.
Delaware Strawberry Festival,
Middletown High School, S.
Broad Street.
Chester County dairy princess
pageant, West Fallowfield
areas can be removed. In addition,
poisonous plants and trimmings
from yew bushes and wild cherry
trees should never have any place
in areas where cows can reach
them.
Dr. John Clark, the regional
Purina nutritionist, thinks the
farmer really makes all the dif
ferences when it comes to a
healthy dairy herd. He calls it
dairy cow husbandry.
So let’s do some good dairy cow
husbandry in our desire to remove
possible injury hazards for our
cows. This makes ecomonic sense.
And it allows us to show we love
our cows.
articles are helpful because last
week’s article was on “Don’t
Poison Your Cattle!” And in it
Chester explained the toxic effect
wild cherry leaves have on cattle.
I cannot possibly thank Chester
for h.'s fine articles, and you for the
Lancaster Fanning, enough, for
surely if I had not read last week’s
Beef Briefs I would have had many
dead purebred cattle this week, as
I would have rotated the cattle
unknowingly into the pasture with
the cherry tree leaves. Thank you
ever so much.
Dean E. Kramer
Bernville
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Christian School. Atglen, 7:30
p.m.
Franklin County 4-H Spring
Preview Show, Shippensburg
Fairgrounds.
Sawmill efficiency and main
tenance program, Holiday Inn,
White Haven.
Mifflin County dairy princess
pageant, Oakwood Center in
basement of Valley View Haven
Rest Home, 8 p.m.
Monday, June 1
Hunterdon County Sheep
Breeder’s Association meeting,
Extension Center, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, June 3
Lancaster County Conservation
Distrist Meeting, Farm and
Home Center, 7:30 p.m.
Hunterdon County Board of
Agriculture monthly meeting,
Extension Center, 8 p.m.
Friday, June 5
Blair County dairy princess
pageant, Memorial Park
Banquet Hall, Martinsburg.
WOW.' STEAKS, ROASTS,) SUP, IT‘5 ALL SO DARN ~\
/AND GROUND ~ GOOD, YOU DON'T KNOW '
' \ I ~~ —— WHICH CUT TO PREPARE ;
~~ // f ANP ONE OF THE . FIRST/
~ /I V PROBLEMS With BEEF ! S
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NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
To Continue Forage Feeding
Dairy and beef cattle producers
should continue to feed some dry
matter while the animals are on
pasture. The feeding of hay or
silage, when the cattle are turned
out to pasture will result in more
uniform production. Also, keeping
some dry matter in the ration will
help prevent serious scouring and
bloating.
Some producers provide this
forage by way of a portable hay or
feed bunk in the pasture area. The
animals should consume some of
the dry forage along with lush
spring pasture. The hay should be
fed early in the day, before the
herd goes to the new pasture. Later
WHEN YOU ARE
DISAPPOINTED
May 24,1987
Background Scripture:
Hosea 10:1 through 11:11
Devotional Reading;
Psalms 78:32-39
If you’ve never been disap
pointed in another person, you’ve
led a remarkably sheltered life!
Sooner or later, someone will let
you down. Worst of all is when we
are disappointed by someone
whose loyalty and dependability
we did not question. The ex
perience can be devastating and
throw us into a deep depression. It
may seem that we can never again
trust anyone.
Disappointment, the Bible in
dicates, is not limited to human
beings. In his own way, it would
seem, God too can be disappointed
when his children let him down and
even betray him. If we think people
have let us down, think of how
Saturday, June 6
Washington County Sheep and
Wool Field Day, Washington
Fairgrounds, Washington.
Landis Valley Fair, Pa. Farm
Museum, Lancaster.
Cecil County Breeder’s Fair,
Fairgrounds, Fair Hill, Md.
Bucks County dairy princess
coronation, Richland Mall,
Quakertown.
Tioga County dairy princess
pageant, Mansfield High
School, Mansfield.
Wayne County dairy princess
pageant, Hickory Grange
Rileyville.
in the season the stored hay or
silage will continue to be useful
when growth slows down due to dry
weather and high temperatures.
To Check Stored Pesticides
The shelf life of most pesticides,
when stored in their original
container, is usually several years.
The greatest problem with stored
pesticides comes from freezing
temperatures. Cold over-winter
temperatures may cause a
breakdown of the emulsifier in
liquid materials. These materials
may not mix properly when added
to the spray water.
To determine if the pesticide will
still mix properly with water,
follow this easy procedure: (1)
place one-half pint of water in a
small container, (2) add one-half
teaspoon of the pesticide, (3) shake
or stir thoroughly (you should get a
milky mixture), (4) let stand for
about one hour. The spray mix
should remain an even milky
mixture. If an oily scum or layer
forms on top, or if a layer of curds
appears on top, don’t use the
material.
To Check Water Supplies
Water is one of our most im
portant resources, but it should be
checked periodically. Many
families depend on wells for their
water supply, but they pay little
attention to the water unless the
pump fails or the well runs dry.
Your water should be tested an-
much God’s children have
disappointed him! Betraying his
trust in us seems to be one of the
recurring themes in the history of
the world.
Speaking through the prophet
Hosea, God speaks of Israel as a
parent would remember the
childhood of his offspring: ‘‘When
Israel was a child, I loved him, and
out of Egypt I called my son”
(11:1). There is tenderness in this
analogy: “Yet it was I who taught
Ephraim to walk, I took them up in
my arms.. I led them with cords of
compassion, with the bands of
love, and I became to them as one
who eases the yoke of their jaws
and I bent down to them and fed
them” (11:3,4).
The response of the people of
Israel was that of little children;
“The more I called them, the more
they went from me” (11:2). In that
regard, some of us never grow up,
for we spend our lives pretending
that we do not hear his call.
Through numerous prophets God
has warned them about following
after the Baal cults, but they
turned a deaf ear to these en
treaties. As a result their Baal will
go into exile with them: ‘Yes, the
thing itself shall be carried to
Assyria, as tribute to their
kingdom” (10:6).
Not only did the people of Israel
worship false gods, but they also
allowed iniquity and injustice to
prevail throughout the land. “You
have plowed iniquity, you have
reaped injustice, you have eaten
the fruit of lies” (10:13). The
consequences of their sin are
staggering: “Thus shall it be done
to you, 0 house of Israel, because
of your great wickedness” (10:15).
The people of Israel also
disappointed God in yet another
way; instead of trusting in him,
they looked to arms and military
pacts to save them from invasion
and domination. “Because you
have trusted in your chariots and
in the multitude of your warriors,
therefore the tumult of wars shall
nually to determine its quality.
It is important to test water
following any reconstruction or
addition to the water supply or its
distribution system. Water sup
plies should be checked whenever
a disease occurs that may have
been caused by unsafe drinking
water. If water changes in taste,
odor or appearance for no reason,
it should be tested.
There are many tests and
analyses that can be used. Two of
the most important are for nitrates
and bacteria.
To Be Aware of Ticks
The tick season is here. The
amount of calls we’re receiving
will confirm that. These pests may
be on almost any dog or person
that walks through uncultivated
fields or woody areas from May to
September.
Ticks await their victims on low
growing shrubs and on tall grass.
They attach to, and feed on the
blood of dogs and humans as well
as many other animals.
To control the American dog
tick, first clean the area of taU
grass and weeds on which ticks
await their victims. Also treat
bushes 20 to 30 feet on either side of
the paths with either Sevin,
Diazinon or lindane. The dog
should also be treated with a 5
percent Sevin dust at weekly in
tervals, or as needed, to control
ticks.
arise among your people, and all
your fortresses shall be
destroyed...” (10:13,14). And the
consequences will be severe:
“They shall return to the land of
Egypt, and Assyria shall be their
king, because they have refused to
return to me” (11:5).
All three of God’s complaints
idolatry, iniquity, and reliance on
military might are current
sources of God’s disappointment.
We are still “letting him down” the
way that Israel let him down. And
we are still suffering the same
kinds of consequences. But the
good news is that, even in the midst
of our disloyalty, God still par
serveres in his love and pursues a®
much as he did Israel: “How can $
give you up, 0 Ephraim! How can I
hand you over, 0 Israel?... My
heart recoils within me, my
compassion grows warm and
tender” (11:8).
So, the next time we find our
selves disappointed by the
disloyalty of someone who lets us
down, let us remember that our
human disappointment is nothing
compared with that of God. And let
us remember, too, that as God’s
persistent, forgiving love was
stronger than his disappointment,
let us make certain that our love in
Christ is also much stronger than
our disappointment.
CAGMCTLTURE)
Please
support
your
high school’s
Vocational
Agriculture-
FFA program!