OPINION
“4-H makes a world of differ
ence.” That’s the theme of Nation
al 4-H week October 2 to 6. Of
course, we appreciate what the
extension people and the teen and
adult volunteer leaders do every
week. But we want to say a special
thank you this week as a tribute to
this organization of rich heritage
since 1914.
In the past, 4-H has served to
educate youth with farming pro
jects and given them a chance to
develop leadership abilities. This
leadership experience is still avail
able. But now a great deal of the
practical experience gained by 4-H
youth comes from projects that can
be undertaken in the city. That’s
right, the city. Philadelphia has the
largest 4-H club in the nation.
Five-thousand members learn
some of the work ethic from their
county counterparts. In addition,
these city youth also prepare them
selves for life with experiences in
such projects as homemaking and
horticulture.
Actually, we believe the full
potential for education of youth in
the 4-H program has not yet been
reached. For example, the need to
educate our youth about the conse
quences of drug and alcohol use
and abuse could be very effective
ly presented through the 4-H edu
cational system that’s already in
place. And not only the system,
but also the atmosphere for learn
ing is in place.
4-H’ers enjoy their projects.
And they respect their adult and
peer leaders, who by their position
as volunteers, prove they care
about the youth in their clubs. This
caring attitude by the leaders cre
ates a willingness to accept infor-
Farm Calendar
Saturday, October 8
KILE Livestock judging contest
continues through October 14.
Monday, October 10
KILE Keystone Stockman's
contest
Lancaster County Poultry Health
Seminar, Holiday Inn North,
Lancaster
Atlantic Dairy Coop, Shenandoah
Local of Dist. 25, 6:45 p.m. at
Henry’s Country Inn, near She
pherdstown, W.Va.
Tuesday, October 11
Lancaster County Farmers Associ
ation Banquet, Conestoga Fire
Company, 7 p.m.
Tax workshop, Lancaster Farm &
Home Center, through the 12th.
Atlantic Dairy Coop, South Jersey
Thanks 4-H!
mation passed on to the youth
through the 4-H educational
network.
In Maryland, the 4-H program is
already gearing up for a new prog
ram in a subject area that will allow
both farm and city youth to partici
pate. This subject area is conser
vation and management of natural
resources. The material presented
and the related projects available
will keep the Maryland 4-H prog
ram on the cutting edge of current
national trends, research results
and career opportunities related to
natural resources.
Yes, in 4-H there’s something
for everyone. Maybe you still
have a place for a dairy, beef, hog,
sheep, goat or poultry project.
Great! But if you don’t have that
kind of space, don’t despair. You
may be able to find a place for a
dog, rabbit, gerbil, guinea pig or an
exotic bird. A plant science pro
ject may also appeal to you. Many
garden project members this year
gained practical experience on
how to cope with drought In Balti
more, inner-city members supple
ment family income by selling hor
ticultural specity items which they
grow and assemble themselves.
Certainly, the quality of life for
young people .across America
would be greatly diminished with
out the 4-H programs. And we
want to take the opportunity on this
National 4-H Week observance to
thank all those involved. The land
grant colleges and universities; the
national and state ag department
sand the cooperative extension ser
vices. Also, the national 4-H coun
cil and and the adult and teen vol
unteer leaders.
THANKS!
Local of District 2 annual din
ner meeting, 7 p.m. Elmer
Grange Hall, Pittsgrove Circle,
N.J.
Atlantic Dairy Coop, Dist. 16,
meeting, 7:15 p.m., South Mid
dleton Fire Hall, Boiling
Springs.
Atlantic Dairy Coop Upper Bucks
and Lower Buck Locals of Dis
trict 1, meeting 7 p.m., Grange
Hall, Plumsteadville
Atlantic Dairy Coop Washington
Co. Local of District 25 dinner
meeting, 7 p.m. at Boonsboro
Fire Hall, Boonsboro, Md.
Atlantic Dairy Coop Cecil Local
District 10 meeting, 7:15 p.m.,
Elkton Methodist Church, Elk
ton, Md.
NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
To Graze Cautiously
As we move into the frost sea
son, farmers pasturing cattle
should be concerned about possi
ble dangers of grazing frosted
legumes. All of the permanent
grasses such as bluegrass, orchard
grass or bromegrass can be safely
grazed at any time of the year and
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 frozen and unusual
ly do not present any bloating
problems. However, the legumes
such as clover and alfalfa should
be grazed 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 Sudan grasses or
sorghum hybrids should not be
grazed for at least a week after
being frozen.
To Apply Lime
First, soil test, 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 correct
ing soil acidity, lime 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 lay
er. Freezing and thawing, rain,
snow and ice, help to move the
lime downward.
During the fall season are firm
ADC East Berlin Local of District
24, 7 p.m., York Springs Fire
Hall.
Wednesday, October 12
PA Chapter of Organic Crop
Improvement Association, 7
p.m. Harrisburg Farm Show
Bldg, Room B. Topic:
“Research & Facts of Sewage
Sludge, 215 693-5027.
Thursday, October 13
Penn State Tax Workshop,
through the 14th. Quality Inn,
234 Montgomerg Pike,
Williamsport.
Crawford Co. Council; 1 of Farm
Organ, annuals & awards ban
quet, 7:30 p.m. West Mead
N 0.2 Fireball.
Atlantic Dairy Coop Hunterdon-
Mercer Local of DisL 2 meet-
(Turn to Page A3l)
and usually dry enough to allow
lime spreading trucks to move
about more easily. Deliveries of
lime can be made on time.
To Pick & Store Apples
Whether you grow apples or just
like to eat diem, it’s important to
store them properly.
Cool apples will keep longer.*
Ideally, they should be stored at
33° F., at 90 percent humidity, and
in dim light or darkness*.
Now as to picking; it’s a good
practice to store the fruit in shade
as it is picked, then allow it to stand
in the orchard overnight to cool.
Then, place the apples in storage
early in the morning before the
temperature rises too much.
If you leave apples in a packing
shed or in piles under the tree for
one week, you ’ll shorten their stor
age life by about five weeks. So,
keep apples cool, maintain good
air circulation during storage, and
your apples should keep a long
ANSWER YOUR
CALL!
October 9,1988
Background Scripture: Isaiah
5:1-25.
Devotional Reading: Matthew
21:33-41.
At least half the message of the
Bible could be summed up in this
one verse from Isaiah 5: “...and he
looked for it to yield grapes, but it
yielded wild grapes” (5:2b).
That is much of the story of
Genesis— God planted a garden in
Eden and “looked for it to yield
grapes, but,” through the sin of
Adam and Eve “it yielded wild
grapes.” It is also the story of Exo
dus by Moses God led the peo
ple of Israel through the wilderness
and into the Promised Land where,
once again, “he looked for it to
yield grapes,” but through the sin
fulness of the people of Israel, the
Promised Land “yielded wild
grapes.” And so it runs through
Judges I & II Kings, I & II Chroni
cles and on into the prophets.
When Israel comes to the people
with his allegory of the vineyard,
they cannot fail to know of what it
is he is speaking. Israel is the vine
yard and God is the vinedresser
who lovingly and tenderly does all
that he can to insure a harvest of
tender grapes.
JUSTICE!
RIGHTEOUSNESS!
Just as the Prohpet Nathan had
used a parable to lead David into
condemning his own sin, so, by
means of this allegory, Isaiah leads
the people of Israel to render
judgement against themselves:
“And now, O inhabitants of Jeru
salem and men of Judah, judge, I
pray you, between me and my
vineyard. What more was there to
do for my vineyard, that I have not
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time.
National 4-H Week was this
week—October 2-8.1 wish to con
gratulate the 3.997 members, 650
volunteer adult leaders, and the
professional youth workers for
their accomplishments and service
to Lancaster County.
Through 4-H projects and activ
ities, youth from all social and eco
nomic backgrounds, both rural and
urban, demonstrate that they can
make a difference in food produc
tion, conservation of our natural
resources, improve economic
understanding, and in the formula
tion of future career decisions.
As a result of the fine exchange
programs, 4-H also contributes to
international understanding and
increased world food production.
Four-H provides an important
pathway to the future for many
youth. Again, congratulations to
all people in the 4-H program.
done in it?” (5:4). God had more
than done his part, so “When I
looked for it to yield grapes, why
did it yield wild grapes?”
The result of this disappointing
harvest will be the destruction of
the vineyard. Of course the figures
of the vineyard and the wild grapes
represent the spiritual failure of
Israel. What had God really
wanted of his people? —“...and he
looked for justice, but behold,
bloodshed: for righteousness, but
behold, a cry!” (5:7b).
PRODUCE!
The allegory of the vineyard
may be pretty remote for most of
us today; we know little about the
growing of grapes. Nevertheless,
we do know wha,t productivity
means, for our world today thrives
on productivity. So, what God
expects of all of us is to produce
results in the world that are pleas
ing to God and instrumental in his
purpose. Little that we say and do
in the course of our religion mat
ters very much unless it produces
tangible results.
Not only were the people of
Israel and us?— not productive
of good results, what they pro
duced were results that were
entirely contrary to God’s will:
injustice and unrighteousness. Not
content to generalize on this
theme, Isaiah goes on to spell out
six specific reproaches and, as we
read them, who among us cannot
help but feel they were written for
us as well as the people of Israel?
He condemns their greed and
covetousness (5:8-10), their riot
ous living (11,12), their mokery of
God (18,19), their moral depravity
(20) and arrogant conceit (21,22).
Finally, he condemns the wide
spread practice of bribery (23).
What do you think it is that God
looks for today in our world? And
what is it that he finds? Are injus
tice and unrighteousness the “wild
grapes” that he finds in the vine
yards he has planted here? And
when he looks into your life, what
does he find?
(Based on copyrighted Outline! produced by
he Committee on the Uniform Senes snd used by
lermusion Released by Community &. Suburban
’ress)
FALL IS
DEFINITELY
IN THE AIR
To Salute 4-H
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