AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 17, 1987
OPINION
The Life
As the fanner lay there gasping
for breath, images came to mind of
two acquaintances, one dead and
the other in a wheel-chair. “It’s
happened to me!” he thought. A
screwdriver across the starter ter
minals had let his stalled tractor
come alive again, running over
him and on across the field.
Bypass starting...circumventing
safe starting procedures, wiring
around neutral • start switches,
shorting across the starter solenoid
termmals...is a major safety con
cern. Like tractor overturns,
bypass starting can be an unneces
sary cause of death or serious
injury with agricultural machin
ery. It’s not a problem unique to
agriculture or to agricultural trac
tors. Virtually any piece of pow
ered equipment can be bypass
started... thus endangering people.
Too often the operator stands
beside the engine.Jn the path of
the drive wheels, for exam
ple...when the bypass start is
attempted. This is a dangerous
practice. If the transmission has
not been shifted to neutral or park,
the tractor or other machine can
start in gear and run away. Such a
runaway can result in serious
injury or death to anyone next to
the machine or in its path.
Some operators...the lucky
ones...have escaped unharmed
because the machine...particularly
a dry clutch machine...“nudged”
them just as the bypass start was
being attempted. And a dry clutch
machine left in gear may move a
little, yet not start. This is not like
machines with hydraulic clutches,
which may be in gear, start and not
move...at least not right away.
Farm Calendar
Saturday, October 17
PFA Wyoming/Lackawana Co.
Meeting, Methodist Church,
Lake Winola, 7 p.m.
PA Forestry Association Regional
Meeting, French Creek Stale
Park, 12:30 p.m.
Monday, October 19
Christmas In October, 19-20, Farm
& Home Center, 9-2:30.
Agri-Land Preservation Clean &
Green Taxation, York 4-H Cen
ter, Bair Station, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 20
York Co. Sewage Sludge Meeting,
Extension Service, 1 p.m.
Atlantic Dairy Coop, DisL 37,
Southern Cove Fire Hall, Loy
sburg, 6:45 p.m.
Wednesday, October 21
York Co. Holstein Annual Ban-
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You Save
After the engine starts, hydraulic
pressure begins to build up in the
transmission. When the pressure is
high enough to engage the trans
mission clutches, the machine will
lurch forward (or backward, if in
reverse) and run away. The delay
in machine movement will end
with surprising suddenness.
Manufacturers continue to
develop products which surpass
those of the past in many ways. In
the days when engines were started
with a crank, an operator could be
run over by a machine started in
gear. This elbow-wrenching task
easily lost favor as electric starters
became more common. Electric
starters also made starting in gear
easier. Manufacturers devised sys
tems, such as those with neutral
start switches, to prevent starting
in gear. But none of them can with
stand the inventive attack of some
one intent on bypass starting a
machine.
Manufacturers are doing their
part by going forward with new
designs like engagement override
valves and similar devices. To pre
vent accidents it is also essential
that operators improve in the safe
use of current machinery. Owners
and operators must maintain safety
features in good working order and
never circumvent them. You must
always start the engine only from
the operator’s seat with the trans
mission in neutral or park. You
must NEVER start the engine
while standing on the ground. Fol
lowing the machine manufactur
er’s instructions for safe starting
will help you stay healthy and
alive!
quct, St. Matthews Luthcrn
Church, York, 7 p.m.
Northumberland Co. Nutrient
Demonstration Mtg., 7 p.m. at
Robert Truckenmiller’s farm, 1
mile east of Dewart.
District 111, Jersey Dinner Mtg.,
Bird-in-Hand Restaurant, 7:15
p.m.
York County Holstein Banquet, St.
Matthews Luthem, W. Market
St., York, 7 p.m.
Thursday, October 22
National Meeting on Poultry
Health & Condemnations,
Sheraton Fountainebleau Inn ”
Spa, Ocean City, Md., through
23rd.
Southeastern Poultry Assoc. Ban
quet, Heritage Restaurant,
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NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
To Evaluate
Farm Records
The 1987 cropping season is
about over and soom it will be time
to summarize your farm accounts
and be reporting to the IRS. In
addition to the need of good farm
records for tax reporting purposes,
I’d like to suggest these farm
records be used for future farm
Franconia.
Berks Co. FFA Leadership Train
ing Conference, Conrad Weiser
H.S., 4 p.m.
Delmarva Beef Cattlemen’s Field
Day
Lancaster Co. 4-H Dairy Awards
Banquet, Country Table, Mt.
Joy, 7 p.m.
Wayne Co. 4-H Achievement
Night, Pleasant Valley Grange,
Honesdale, 6:30 p.m.
4-H Dairy Awards Banquet, Coun
try Table Restaurant, 7 p.m.
Friday, October 23
Adams Co. Poultry Assoc. Fall
Banquet, Inn 94, Crosskeys
Dairymen Mid Atlantic Div. Lunc
heon mtg., Sheraton Inn, Get
tysburg, 12:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 24
PA Simmental Assoc. Show/Sale,
Green Co. Fairgrounds, Way
nesburg Show 10 a.m., sale 1
p.m.
Monday, October 26
PA State Grange Convention, But
ler, Oct. 26 through 29.
Central Susquehanna Local of
Atlantic Dairy Coop Annual
Dinner Mtg., Follmer Evangeli
cal Luthem Church, Milton,
7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 27
Atlantic Dairy Co-op Mtg., Dis
trict 31, Stockerton Memorial
Hall, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, October 28
Atlantic Dairy Co-op Mtg. Dist.
34, Prescott Fire Hall Co.,
Lebanon, 7 p.m.
Thursday, October 29
Lane. Co. Poultry Assoc., Annual
Banquet, Olde Hickory Inn,
6:30 p.m.
Lebanon County Holstein Club
Banquet, Schaefferstown Fire
hall, 7 p.m.
Agway Annual Mtg., Syracuse,
NY, Oct. 29-30.
Del/Maryland Plant Food ” Crop
Protection Assoc. Annual Mtg.,
Ramada Inn, Annapolis, MD,
8:30 a.m.
Bux-ment Atlantic Local Co-op
Mtg., Dist. 31 at Plain & Fancy
Restaurant, Quakertown, 7 p.m.
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planning and in making major
farm decisions.
When time permits and as the
outside work winds down this fall,
it is a good idea to spend some time
in your office and do some “pencil
pushing” regarding the most pro
fitable parts of your farming busi
ness. Your records of success or
failure of the various enterprises
are the best guide to future expan
sion or termination.
To Graze
Cautiously
We receive many phone calls
concerning the damages of pastur
ing forage crops after being
frosted. All of the permanent gras
ses such as bluegrass, orchardgrass
or bromegrass can be safely grazed
at any time of the year, this is also
true of any of the small grain cover
crops such as rye, wheat or barley.
All of these are not toxic when fro
zen and usually do not present any
bloating problems.
However, the legumes such as
clover and alfalfa should be grazed
very carefully. They are not toxic
after being frosted, but will cause
severe bloating if consumed while
the frost is on the leaves. Allow the
frost to thaw, and the plants to dry
off before turning in the herd or
flock.
Also, any of the sudden grasses
or sorghum hybrids should not be
grazed for at least a week afte
being frozen. Neither should the
new growth, after being frozen, be
consumed.
To Inspect
Heating Systems
With colder weather upon us,
we’ll be using different types of
heating units. In order to prevent
the potential for fires and other
problems, we suggest that all
chimneys and flues be checked for
A GOD WHO
LAUGHS
October 18,1987
Background Scripture:
Genesis 21:1-7; 22:1-19.
Devotional Reading:
Romans 12:1-8
Our usual perception of the Old
Testament patriarchs is that of
grimly serious, flinty-eyed men.
One does not expect and rarely
finds even the slightest element of
levity in their stories.
Abraham, however, is an excep
tion to the rule, for laughter seems
to play an important part in his
story. You will remember drat in
last week’s text, when God reiter
ated to Abraham his promise of a
male heir, “ABraham fell on his
face and laughed” (17:17). God’s
promise seemed that incredible.
Later, when Sarah heard God
make his promise to Abraham, she
too “laughed to herself, saying.
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cracks and places where sparks can
escape.
In this part of the country, tobac
co sheds have stoves to provide
comfort for the winter job of strip
ping tobacco. Many of these have
been in operation for years and
may need some attention. The
mortar around pipes and between
bricks may have fallen out; in
some cases a repainting job with
mortar will make the system much
safer.
Don’t take chances with a faulty
system; it could start a major bam
fire or the fumes could cause
suffocation.
To Control Mice
and Rats
As the weather turns colder,
mice and rats seek shelter and
migrate from the outdoors to the
indoors - and they may choose
your home.
When nights become chilly,
mice and rats move into garages,
storerooms and bams. And if there
is food in the area, they’re likely to
set up housekeeping there until
colder weather drives them into
your house.
Mice can crawl through holes
and cracks as small as a d ime.
They can enter where pipes go
through the wall. And some are so
bold, they’ll run through an open
door whie you’re entering the
house.
If you find signs of mice activi
ty, there are two god ways to get rid
of them. If there are just a few
mice, a trap is a good remedy. Bait
the trap with bacon, peanut butter
or cheese and set it near a wall so
that the trigger is pointed towards
the wall. If a large nuber of mice
are present, then baits are more
effective. The bait should be put in
bait stations so that children or pets
cannot get to it
“after I have grown old, and my
husband is old, shall I have plea
sure?” (18:12). God, of course,
heard Sarah laugh and asked Abra
ham: “Why did Sarah laugh...ls
anything to hard for the Lord?”
“HE LAUGHS”
According to God’s promise,
however, Sarah, who thought her
self too old and barren, did con
ceive and bear Abraham a son and,
according to God’s instruction,
they named him Isaac, meaning
“he laughs.” (Probably the name
means that, although Abraham
laughed at God’s promise, Isaac is
the living proof of that promise.
But it also might mean that God
laughs at our lack of faith.)
When Isaac was bom. Genesis
reports Sarah’s reaction: “God has
made laughter for me; everyone
who hears will laugh over me”
(21:6). This is a merry passage, for
Sarah realizes that the joke has
been on her. As Sarah puts it,
“Who would have said to Abraham
that Sarah would suckle children?
Yet I have borne him a son in his
old age” (21:7).
SILLY DISBELIEF
We think of disbelief as a very
serious matter in the eyes of God,
but we rarely regard it as just plain
ridiculous. Yet, they are this, too. It
is silly for us to regard our own
wisdom as superior to that of God,
yet, often, that’s exactly what we
do. Surely God must laugh at our
human pretenses and childish arro
gance. When you think of it, what
could be more unproariously fun
ny than our bumbling efforts to go
on our own power alone?
If we are really honest with
ourselves, we will have to admit
with Sarah that often the laugh is
on us.
(Based on copyrighted Outlines pro
duced by the Committee on the Uniform
Senes and used by permission Released by
Community & Suburban Press.)
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