AKMJnctftfer Faming, Saturday, July 2, 1988
OPINION
This Makes
An Ephrata beef farmer made a
significant statement this week
that makes you think. This farmer
is the kind of guy who would stay
out of public view and controversy
at all possible costs. He is a good
farmer and a conscientious family
man. He finishes about 101 to 110,
steers at a time and sells them at
local markets.
This year he sold all but 21 ofhis
steers prior to the beef referendum.
The steers he sold up to about three
weeks ago averaged $78.35. Last
week the remaining 21 head aver
aged $6B with several selling as
low as $63. With astonishment in
his voice, this farmer said, “It’s
absolutely incredible that the
market could drop $lO in 2 weeks
time.”
And since this fanner opposed
the check-off he couldn’t help
think that if the beef referendum
had not been taken until July 11 the
price may have been held up long
enough that he could have sold all
his steers at the high price.
Of course the experts say, the
price drop is because of the
drought They say farmers have
evaluated the feed situation and
have rushed excess cattle to mark
et. But we’ve only heard about the
drought in the popular press the
last several weeks. At com plant
ing time we thought we had too
Farm Calendar
Saturday, July 1
July is Ice Cream Month
Tuesday, July 5
Small Fruits Meeting, Ag Build
ing, Tunkhannock, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 6
Philadelphia Ice Cream Day, Inde
pendence Mall
Eastern Junior Holstein Judging
. School, Columbia/Luzerne
counties. Runs through the 7th.
Northeast Forest Tree Conference,
Penn State. Runs tlirough the
Bth.
Huntingdon regional 4-H achieve
ment day, Juniata Valley
Elementary School.
Thursday, July 7
1988 Keystone Tour By Ciba-
Geigy and FMC Crap., New
Holland Community Park, 9:15
a.m.
Centre County Bar-B-Que and
Twilight Meeting, Bruce Ulmer
Farm, 7:00 p.m.
Row Crop Srayer meeting, 7:30
p.m.
A A Angus Breeders’ Show, Cen
ter Hall. Runs through the 9th.
Mercer Co. Feed Ration test, 4-H
Park. Call extension agent
662-3141.
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
At Record-Express Office Building
22 E Mam Street
Lititz, PA 17543
by
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A SMnnwi EnUrpfA*
Robert G Campbell General Manager
Everett R Nawswanger Managing Editor
Cf yrlfW IMS by laicisfcr
You Think
much rain. So these farmers must
have made some really quick deci
sions in the past two weeks to
market enough extra dairy and
beef cattle to depress the market
$lO.
In addition, we already have an
extremely low number of beef
cattle in the national herd. And
since the “buy-out”, dairy cow
numbers are not that excessive.
But the best proof that excess num
bers of cattle have not gone to
market in the last several weeks
can be found in the market reports.
For example, the Lancaster Week
ly Market Report shows 4100 head
of cattle moved on May 28, the
week we reported that the beef
referendum had passed. On June
25, the week our Ephrata farmer
sold his last steers, after the market
made its tremendous drop, 3400
cattle were reported moved in Lan
caster County. That’s less, not
more.
Maybe the beef market’s fall is
due to post referendum let-down as
this Ephrata farmer believes. May
be it’s the weather. Or the specula
tors in Chicago. Or all of the
above. Whatever the reason, far
mers may be pardoned if they con
sider these market moves incredi
ble. The situation makes anyone
who loves farming stand back and
think.
■'<>V
Friday, July 8
Western Junior Holstein Judging
School, Armstrong/lndiana
Counties, runs through the 9lh,
noon to noon.
Mercer Co. Guernsey Ice Cream
Festival.
Saturday, July 9
Schacfferstown Folk Festival,
Alexander Schaeffer Farm.
Saturday, July 9
Ice Cream Day in Adams County,
recreational park, Gettysburg,
2-8 p.m.
Mercer Co. Holstein Club picnic,
Lake Wilhelm, 1 p.m.
Monday, July 11
Dairy Laboratory Workshop, two
week demonstration of all milk
tests and includes tests to
become PDA Dairy Lab
Director.
Tuesday, July 12
PA Purebred Dairy Cattle Associa
tion, Judging school, Crawford
County, 9 a.m., through the
13th.
National meeting, Brown Swiss
cattle breeder, Clock Tower
Resort, Rockford, 111.
THERE WAS
SOMETHING
THAT I WA'r
SUPPOSE TO
DO TODAY..
O''
NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
To Be Aware of
Feeding New Grain
The barley harvest is completed
much earlier this year and soon far
mers may be considering using this
new grain in their feeding prog
ram. Feeding new grains to live
stock is possible, under very care
ful management. If fed in too large
amounts, digestive disorders such
as bloating and scouring may
occur. We suggest that the grain be
allowed to go through a two week
curing period before being fed.
Then it should be included into the
grain ration at a slow rate - 10 to
20%.
Barley is a popular livestock
feed and is a good substitute for
com. In a week or two wheat will
be ready and may also be fed with
care. Again, it should be allowed
several weeks to cure before feed-
WHAT’STHE
MEANING OFTHIS?
Background Scripture:
Exodus 12:1-27
Devotional Reading:
Luke 22:14-20.
So long as there have been
human beings on this planet, there
have been religious rituals. And, so
long as there have been religious
rituals, there have been children
asking why they should be
expected to perpetuate rituals that
seem to have no significance for
the present
This was the question which
Lancaster Co. Fruit Growers Mtg.,
Brooklawn Farm, Neffsville, 7
p.m. geared to small fruits.
Annual Baltimore County 4-H
Fair, Stale Fairgrounds, Timo
nium, Md. 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.,
through the 16th.
Wednesday, July 13
Lancaster County Dairy Barn
meeting, Lapps Valley Farm,
New Holland.
Thursday, July 14
Bedford County Holstein Quality
Sale, Bedford, 7 p.m.
Mifflin County Holstein Club
Picnic, Ed Click Farm, Bcllc
vill, 7 p.m.
... MOW
REMEMI
? 0 0
Jul> 3,1988
ing. Wheat is not usedas much for
feeding purposes because of the
digestive problems. Smaller
amounts in the ration, compared to
barley, are suggested. 'Barley and
wheat can be used as livestock
feeds, but need special care when
mixing in livestock rations.
To Use Caution
When Shipping Hogs
During very hot weather we
must be very careful when ship
ping hogs. Losses do occur
because of careless hauling during
hot weather.
There arc ways to prevent these
losses. Whenever it’s possible,
have these hogs to market early or
late in the day - when it’s coolest.
Avoid mid-day or early afternoon
trips. That's when temperatures
are the worst
While the hogs are being loaded
onto the trucks, take things easy.
Don’t hurry them. If you do,
they’ll just become overheated.
And, to make sure they can be
comfortable in the truck, use wet
sand for bedding. Don’t use straw
or other materials that hold heat
and fail to help cool the animals.
Once the animals are loaded,
start right then for the market -
and go directly to the market with
out stopping. Take these few pre
cautions and you’ll market all your
hogs instead of just some of them.
To Control
Canada Thistle
Canada thistles are listed as a
noxious weed in Pennsylvania:
this means they should be con-
Moses anticipated when he
instructed the people of Israel con
cerning the annual observance of
the Passover. First, he charged
them to “Observe this rite as an
ordinance for you and for your
sons forever.” Then, he goes on to
say, “And when your children say
to you, ‘What do you mean by this
service?’ you shall say ‘lt is the
sacrifice of the Lord’s passov
er...’” (Exodus 12:24-27a).
NEVER FORGET
It was important not only that
Israel should perpetuate this rite,
but also that each generation
should fully understand why-that
by the grace of God, the people of
Israel had been saved from the ter
rible plague by which the first bom
of Egypt were slain. The people
must never forget that God has
saved them for the sake of his pur
pose. Without his intervention,
they never would have escaped
their Egyptian bondage.
So, just as the Hebrews needed
Oregon Dairy, Oregon, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, July 15
PA Association of Conservation
District Director’s meeting.
State College, through the 16th.
Saturday, July 16
PA Angus Summer Field Day,
Loysville (Perry)
PA Ayrshire Field Day, Went
worth Farm, Quarryvillc, 10:30
a.m.
Maryland Jersey Caldc Field Day,
Frederick County Fairgrounds,
MD, 10:30 a.m. Contact Stan
Lutz at Ag Center,
Westminister.
(Turn to Page A 39)
trolled and not allowed to go to
seed. Too often we see what some
people call “summer snowflakes”
floating through the air; these are
not snowflakes but thistle seeds.
We should insist that these be
mowed or sprayed to prevent seed
formation.
Most townships have noxious
weed ordinances to prevent the
spread of Canada thistles and other
noxious weeds. These ordinances
should be enforced for the best
interest of all farmers. You can
spot spray with Banvel or Round
up for control. Be sure to follow all
label instructions. We urge every
one to do something about this
problem.
To Review
Insurance Coverage
For the past several decades the
value of farm buildings and per
sonal property have been on the
increase. In order to cope with this
situation we have frequently sug
gested that property owners adjust
their insurance coverage so that
replacement cost will be covered,
rather than original cost. The same
situation holds true with personal
property as well as buildings. We
are aware that some losses in the
past have not been sufficiently
covered with insurance and the far
mer was the loser.
Unless the insurance program
has been adjusted in the past few
years, we suggest that your insur
ance agent be contacted for
guidance.
to remember what God did for
them in Egypt, so there are things
in our own heritage that we must
never forget. At the time when
something very special happens, it
seems we will never forget. We
vow to remember the day forever.
But, despite our good intentions,
we often forget these great events
and take for granted what they
mean to us.
Often, that is the way it is when
God has done something signifi
cant ki our lives. We promise that
we will always be grateful, but
“always” is often short-lived. So
we need some rituals and celebra
tions to remind us of what we must
never forget Thanksgiving and
our dependence upon God’s boun
ty, the Fourth of July and our inde
pendence, Memorial Day and the
people who have given their lives
in the service of their country, and
so forth.
REMEMBER WHY
Unfortunately, we sometimes
are faithful in keeping the rituals
and celebrations, but what we
neglect is the passing on the “why”
of it. Thanks giving becomes just
another excuse for gorging
ourselves: Independence Day is
simply a “day off,” an opportunity
for picnics and outings. The pur
pose is not the keeping of a cele
bration, but remembering what is
behind it. There are parts of our
past that we must never forget,
because they arc so relevant for our
present and significant for our
future.
(Based on copyrighted Outlines produced by
the Committee on the Uniform Senes and used by
permission Released by Community Sc Suburban
Press )