' AKRancastw-Fanning, Saturday) May 30,1987 OPINION “Bom In We hear a lot about why we should buy “made-in-America” manufactured products. But the makers of cars, TV’s, computers and shoes aren’t the only people facing competition from foreign imports. Now it’s cheese, beef, poultry and vegetables. All of these products can be produced and shipped to the United States less expensively than farmers can produce them here. This is often true because the food producers themselves have invested capital in foreign production areas to get cheaper labor. But for whatever the reason, for the first time since 1957, the United States will import more foods than it will export. Not only is this disastrous to our American | \ FARM FORUM our readers write J Editor: Thank you for the column on potatoes in your May 23rd issue. As a grower since 1927 when I took over my parents farm specializing in this crop a long time reader of your newspaper, I felt potatoes did not get much recognition. I must admit many growers in our area have quit growing them. Be that as it may, anyone that knows what it takes to put a meal together would agree they are quite important, both cost wise and nutritionally. So please keep them in mind as time goes on, not only for the growers sake but for the consumer as well. A little story of my life since 1927 this farm orginally being 72 acres, we now own about 300 acres, which the son operates and rents ad ditional ground. I’m not telling you it was easy because it was not. But if you listen to your buddies and people around you, most everyone thinks what they do is difficult and has its problems. I tried to improve practices as we went along being handicapped financially because the parents still owed on the mortgage. The Farm Calendar 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 Christian School, Atglen, 7:30 p.m. Franklin County 4-H Spring Preview Show, Shippensburg Fairgrounds. Sawmill Efficiency and Main tenance Program, Holiday Inn, America” agricultural economy base, the foods we receive are often produced under substandard health controls. Imports of frozen vegetables alone have increased by an average of 26 percent per year from 28,095,000 pounds in 1975 to 121,884,000 pounds 10 years later. A nonprofit organization called THANKS (Together Helping Americans Nationwide Keep Strong) has registered a seal to be placed on products grown and processed in the United States. We hope this effort is as successful as “Real Seal” has been for the dairy industry. Consumers need to know more about the origin of the foods they buy and eat. “Bom In America" is just as important for foods as for cars. second year of operation we changed marketing the crop and by 1939 we ran into a terribly dry season. So in 1941 we built the first pond to store water for irrigation. And as adjoining land became available, we added, using bams to store. This way for some years the weather caught us before we had moved the part which we had trouble keeping warm in frigid weather. This called for a storage we built in 1952. It is interesting as your article states the different varieties. This is what I am still doing. Trying in a small way the newer varieties. Trying to find something better. Having been on the board of directors of our county organization for many years and having meetings with the county agent during that period, one keeps from getting too rusty. Today being my 83rd birthday, I still feel this potato deal is a challenge. Thanking you I am. Raymond Snyder Fleetwood P.S. The family acreage is located in Lehigh County. r ir ii -, '(A 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 District Meeting, Farm and Home Center, 7:30 p.m. *NOWIS THE TIME By Jay Irwin Lancaster County Agriculture Agent To Know About A New Johne’s Test USDA recently licensed a rapid antibody test for cattle showing possible clinical signs of Johne’s according to Glenn Shirk, dairy agent. Results of the test are available in 24 to 48 hours. This compares to 2 to 3 months for the more traditional fecal test. This new Johne’s test, known as AGIO (agar gel immune diffusion), can differentiate Johne’s from other diarrheal diseases such as BVD, salmonella and winter dysentry. There is no evidence of the test showing false positives, so the risk of sending non-infected cattle to slaughter is minimal. False Hunterdon County Board of Ag monthly meeting, Extension Center, 8 p.m. York County Beekeepers meeting, 7 p.m., home of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Keeney, R 3 Glen Rock. Friday, June 5 Blair County Dairy Princess Pageant, Memorial Park Banquet Hall, Martinsburg. Saturday, June 6 Washington County Sheep and Wool Field Day, Washington Fairgrounds, Washington. Landis Valley Craft Fair, Pa. Farm Museum, Lancaster. Cecil County, Md. 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. Pa. Jr. Polled Hereford Association Show, Ag Arena, Penn State, 1 p.m. Queen Contest, Strawberry Growers Association, Lycoming Mall, Muncy. Pa. Shropshire Breeders Association Field Day and Annual Meeting, Menhennett Farm, Cochranville. Sunday, June 7 4-H Highsteppers Horse Show, Wayne County Fairgrounds. Pa. Meat Packers Association Summer Meeting, Pocono Manor; continues through June 9. Wednesday, June 10 Farm Women’s Leadership Forum, Washington, D.C. Continues through June 12. York/Lancaster Twilight Tree Fruit Meeting, Cherry Hill Orchards, Lancaster, 6:30 p.m. (Turn to PageA2s) ox [p I negatives appear to run less than 15 percent. However, the accuracy of the test increases the more clinical a cow becomes. So, you may miss some “slightly-infected” non-shedders, but you’ll have a greater op portunity of identifying the shedders and getting them out of the herd before they have the opportunity to infect other cattle, especially younger animals. This new test is something you should discuss with your veterinarian. To Be Alert For Corn Pests We are into the season for cut worm damage and this includes the black cutworm. Just a reminder to keep a close check on all corn fields for the next few weeks. Damage symptoms will be plants cut off just above the ground level. The culprit will be hiding in the soil a few inches from the cut plant. We suggest a rescue treatment of 2 to 3 percent if the plants are cut and you can find more than 5 larvae in 100 plants. Remember the black cutworm is the one with the granular skin. The control materials listed in the 1987- 88 Agronomy Guide include Lor sban or Sevin or Dyfonate or Penncap or Dylox. Be sure to follow all label directions. To Practice Bio-Security Livestock and poultry diseases LOVING FREELY May 31,1987 Background Scripture: Hosea 13 through 14. Devotional Reading: Isaiah 12. The young man is in jail again. We’re crushed, all of us. During the past year it seemed he was doing so well. This time, we hoped and prayed, he would make it and stay out. But in the last few months, we began to see his life unravel once again. Like the fabled Dutch boy at the dike, we tried to plug up first this hole, then that, but at last we all ran out of fingers. We’ve been praying for this young man for a long time almost 30 years and today it all seems to have been in vain. He’s behind bars and it will likely be a while before he earns the right to enter the outside world again. After all these failures, we can’t help wondering whether it isn’t time to give up on him. If this were almost any other human endeavor building a house, running a race, writing a book we’d have given up long ago. But we won’t give up: we will continue to hope and pray and believe it is God’s will to heal him of all that troubles him. Though our faith has been shaken, we will ask God to restore that faith. “I WILL HEAL” Why will we continue to believe in and pray for this man’s healing continue to be a threat to farmers. I still feel that in too many cases the farmer brings the infection home to his own animals and poultry. Are you careful about the footwear worn when attending the public stock yards or sales bams? Most of these places are an outlet for animals with some infection; the chances of picking up these organisms on your boots or shoes are great. Even though the public places are often disinfected, there is still danger of infection. We urge farmers to be very careful with their sanitary habits. The same is true when using public trucks to transport animals; be sure they are clean and well disinfected. Don’t be guilty of bringing home infection to your own animals. To Clip Pastures Mowing permanent pastures at this time of year is a very good idea. Many of the plants will be heading out and some will go to seed; this means that the plants should be mowed. This practice will help control weeds and en courage new growth of grass. Livestock will consume the dry clippings. Pastures should be clipped several times during the season. In addition, the clipped area will look much better to the general public as they travel through the county. in the face of so much failure? Because God himself is persistent, redeeming love. God continued-to pursue Israel with his love long after it seemed impossible that they would ever return to him. Although they failed again and again, although they betrayed him repeatedly, God’s love did not waver. “I will heal their faithlessness,” proclaimed the Lord, “I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them” (14:4). Note that God does not say that he will “overlook” the sins oi Israel or pretend-that they did not exist. The sins are real and have had terrible consequences. They are not to be “swept under the carpet.” God does not minimize the seriousness of the sins of Israel. God meets the problem of Israel’s sin, not by ignoring it, but by overcoming it with his love. “1 will heal their faithlessness”— he will give them the power to overcome their infidelity, to change not only their behavior, but their hearts. Because, until our hearts are changed, we cannot change our lives. “I will love them freely,” God says through Hosea. What this means is that his love is not something which Israel can or will earn. If God’s love was dependent upon our worthiness, we’d none of us ever experience his love. But the good news is that he offers us this love “freely” as a gift of grace not something we get because we deserve it, but despite the fact that we don’t deserve it. COME BACK HOME There’s no catch to this freely given love of God, but there is a requirement: “Return, 0 Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity' (14:1). Just as God freely gives las redemptive love to us, so, too, we must “freely” receive it. “Take with you words and return to the Lord; say to him, “Take away ah iniquity; accept that which is good and we will render the fruit of our lips’ ’(14:2). Like the Prodigal Son, we must come to our senses ana “come back home.” When we do, we will find la® waiting for us with open arms “They shall return and dweh beneath my shadow, they shah flourish as a garden, they shah blossom as the vine...” And because his love perseveres, so will ours! (Based on copyrighted Outlines produced W 1 Committee on the Uniform Senes and used ” permission Released by Community A Subur Press
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers