AlMancasler Farming, Saturday, February 18,1989
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OPINION
FFA members in 7,800 chapters across the U.S., in the District of
Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands will organize events
and activities to create awareness of and support for agricultural edu
cation and FFA during National FFA Week that starts today.
FFA activities and programs will be promoted by FFA members
and through public service announcements on the local, state and
national levels. This year’s theme is “Agriculture’s Leading Edge—
FFA.”
Agricultural education stresses hands-on experience in many
diverse areas of the agricultural industry. FFA activities provide lead
ership development, career training and award incentives for these
young people.
Dana Soukup, national FFA president from Spencer, Neb., said,
“FFA Week is die chance for members and communities to recognize
achievements and activities available through FFA and agricultural
education.”
“We’re proud of this commitment to young people and agriculture.
As FFA members and students in agriculture classes, we are receiving
the business, science and leadership skills we need to prepare for the
diverse and challenging careers in agriculture,” Soukup said.
Each year FFA Week is held during the week of George Washing
ton’s birthday to recognize his leadership and commitment to Ameri
can agriculture. The National FFA Center is located on part of
Washington’s original Mt. Vcmon estate near Alexandria, Va.
FFA is a national organization of 404,900 students in 7,800 local
chapters preparing for agricultural careers. FFA activities and award
programs complement instruction in agricultural education by giving
students practical experience in the application of agricultural skills
and knowledge gained in classes. Developing agricultural leadership,
cooperation and citizenship are FFA’s major objectives. We agree.
FFA is “Agriculture’s Leading Edge.”
Farm Calendar
Saturday, February 18
Adams County Fruit Growers
annual meeting, Aspers Fire
Hall, 6:00 p.m.
National FFA Week; runs through
Feb. 25.
Sunday, February 19
State Holstein Convention, West
Middlesex, runs through the
21st.
Monday, February 20
New Holland Vegetable Day,
Summit Valley Elementary
School, 9:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Six pesticide update training
credits available.
Adams County Dairy Nutrition,
Cross Keys Diner, New
Oxford, 9:45 a.m. Repeats Feb.
27.
Westmoreland Dairy Feeding
Bam Meeting, Mcllvaine Dairy
Farm, Greensburg, 11:00 a.m.
Pennsylvania Extension Service
Awards Banquet, Atherton Hil-
ton, State College, 6:30 p.m.
Adams County Beekeepers Meet
ing, Penn State Fruit Lab,
Biglerville, 7:30 p.m.
Pennsylvania Holstein Conven
tion, Sheraton Inn, W. Mid
dlesex; runs through Feb. 21.
Tuesday, February 21
Clarion County Crops Day, Coun
ty Park, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
1 E Mam St
Ephrata, PA 17522
by
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A Sttinmtn Enterprhg
Robert G. Campbell General Manager
Everett R. Newswanger Managing Editor
C«mf(l|M ISM ky UnoMK Fa,mint
Ag Forum Meeting, Big Wrangler
Steakhouse, Huntingdon, 7:00
p.m.
Sire Power Annual Meeting,
McConnellstown Fire Hall,
7:15 p.m.
Ag Security Educational Meeting,
W. Hempfield Township
Office, Silver Spring, 7:30 p.m.
Mid-Atlantic Direct Marketing
Conference & Trade Show,
Willow Valley Resort & Con
ference Center, Lancaster, runs
through Feb. 23.
Western Pennsylvania Turf Con
ference, Pittsburgh Expo Mart/
Radisson Hotel, Monroeville;
runs through Feb. 23.
J&J AgriProducts Dollars and
Sense Meeting, J&J AgriPro
(Tum to Pago A 39)
I FARM FORUM OUR READERS WRITE J
Deer Management in the Urban
Setting, at the Commons, Penn
State Delaware County Cam
pus, Media, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30
p.m.
Cumberland County Dairy Clinic,
Penn Township Fireball,
Huntsdale, 9:30 a.m.
Tri-State Dairy Reproduction
Seminar, Edinburg Fireball,
Edinburg, Va., 10:00 a.m.
Cecil County Mid-Winter Educa
tion Meeting, Dairy Day,
Calvert Grange Hall, 10:00 a.m.
Lebanon County Milking Man
agement School, Day 1, Room
11, Municipal Building, Leba
non, 12:30 to 3:00 p.m.
Ag District Informational Meet-
Editor:
On behalf of our Association, I
would like to commend your pap
er for your recent article “Pro
gress in Coordinating Pennsylva
nia’s Dairy Promotion Activi
ties,” which appeared in your
January 21 issue. This article gave
a very well-rounded approach to a
very complex issue.
.. i
NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
County Agriculture Agent
To Prepare For
Dormant Sprays
Many types of trees ace infested
with various kinds of scale insects.
These pests attach themselves to
the bark and twigs and shrubs and
suck the strength from the plant
One of the best treatments is to
apply a dormant spray oil before
the buds start to open. The date of
the spray will vary with the weath
er. However, on many fruit trees
and shrubbery this will be late
February and early March. The
spray should be applied before the
buds open. In addition, a spray
during May or June while the
insect is in the crawler stage is
strongly suggested; materials for
this spray can be Sevin or Malath
ion. Scale insects should be con
trolled -- the way is to use a dor
mant spray.
To Mend
Pasture Fences
Pastures can provide cattle a lot
of good nutritious forage, and it’s
a place for them to get fresh air,
exercise and sunlight. Before too
long, we will be turning our cattle
ing, Conference Center at Penn
Stale Schuylkill Campus, 7:00
p.m.
The effort to coordinate the
dairy promotion programs in
Pennsylvania are moving ahead
stronger than ever. Your article
gave a fair and accurate review of
each organizations position on
this important issue. We appreci
ate your paper’s professional ap
proach to agricultural journalism.
American Dairy Association
Dairy Council
WOW, UNCLE OTIS
THAT WAS A STEEP
HILL \OU JUST
SLID DOWN,
WERE YOU
SCARED?
• e a
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out to pasture, but let’s not turn
them out too soon. It’s best to let
the sod develop and the ground
firm up. Spend die time now to fix
fences and pick up trash and
debris before the grass gets too tall
and before you’re tied down with
spring field work.
It might also be helpful to sec
tion off the pasture in order to
make best use of the grass. For
example, wet areas and flat areas
may be fenced off from other
areas. This will enable you to keep
cows out of wet areas until the
ground firms up, and could help
prevent the development of foot
problems. During the early spring
flush of pasture growth, you could
keep cattle out of the flat area;
save it for hay, and feed it to the
cows later in the summer.
To Be Aware
Of Alkaline
Water For Pesticides
If your water is alkaline, espe
cially if the pH is 8 or greater, you
may have trouble getting good
results from the pesticide spray
material you are using on crop
land. Water supplies in many
areas have sufficient natural alka
linity to cause a “breakdown” of
certain pesticides.
This means pest control may be
somewhat less than desirable, or
even non-existent because the
ingredient will be rendered inac
tive before it even reaches the
plant or pest. If the spray is allow-
THE EYE OF
THE NEEDLE
February 19,1989
Background Scripture:
Luke 18:18-30.
Devotional Reading:
James 3:1-13.
I’ve read the story of Jesus and
the rich ruler countless times, as
well as written and preached on it
But today as I read it again, it’s as
if I’m seeing it somewhat diffe
rently than before. (And isn’t that
what makes the Bible a never
ending source of revelation and
inspiration for us?)
When I read it today, some
.questions arose that I don’t
remember asking before. What is
the motive of the rich ruler? Does
he really think Jesus is going to
tell him the secret of eternal life,
or is he merely fishing for Jesus to
tell him what a fine person he is?
Is he really concerned about eter
nal life?
SOME QUESTIONS
And why does Jesus answer,
“Why do you call me good? No
one is good but God alone” (Luke
18:19). His answer seems irrelev
ant to the question almost as if
he’s being picky. And when Jesus
says, “You know the command
ments.” is he infering that if the
man faithfully keeps the com
mandments God will reward him
NOT UNTIL X WAS
ABOUT HALF WAY
DOWN THE HILL
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WHY A
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ed to stand several hours before
spraying, as much as 50 percent or
more of the active ingredient may
be decomposed.
Pesticide specialists tell us that
a pH in the range of 4 to 6 is
recommended for most pesticide
sprays. You can adjust spray solu
tions to this range by buffering
agents. In general, the insecticides
are affected more severely by alk
aline water than fungicides or
herbicides.
Many farmers have purchased
and accepted early deliveries of
seeds, fertilizer and other supplies.
Proper storage of these items is
important. I have seen bags of fer
tilizer stored too close to a bam
door, or to an open window; the
same with farm seeds. Extra mois
ture on these materials, or under
them on a damp floor, can cause
problems. Also, it is very impor
tant to keep seeds away from
chemical weed killers. These her
bicides may reduce, or kill, the
germination of the seeds. Also,
children, pets and livestock should
not have access to stored seeds or
farm chemicals. All of these
materials become more expensive
each year. It’s only good manage
ment "to store them carefully.
The Penn State Cooperative
Extension is an affirmative action,
equal opportunity educational
institution.
with eternal life? Probably the
most important question of all,
however, is this: when Jesus says,
“One thing you still lack. Sell all
that you have and distribute to the
poor...and come, follow me,” is he
saying that to all of us?
In pondering those questions it
occurred to me that this story is
only superficially about eternal
life. The rich ruler obviously felt
pretty satisfied with his own
righteousness—as he saw it, he
had kept all the commandmnents
from his youth. Maybe that’s why
Jesus replied with his cryptic,
“Why do you call me good?”
Knowing that the ruler is self
righteous, Jesus begins by saying
“No one is good but God alone.”
No one is capable of earning eter
nal life.
BEYOND
THE BARRIER
So when the ruler ticks off his
moral accomplishments, Jesus
stops him in his tracks with a chal
lenge that shows that the ruler is
not as righteous as he thought. He
had kept the letter of the law, but
not the spirit of it. This was obvi
ously not the response he had
hoped to gain from Jesus.
Hearing Jesus speak of riches as
a barrier to eternal life, his disci
ples went to know: “Then who can
be saved?” Jesus responds with
what I believe is the key to this
whole story: “What is impossible
with men is possible with God”
(18:27). It is God’s grace, not our
righteousness, that brings us
through “the eye of the needle” to
eternal life.
(Based on copyrighted Outlines produced by
the Committee on the Uniform Senes and used
by permission Released by Community Sc Sub
urban Press)
'CAUSE THAT'S
WHEN I
OPENED
MV EVES
o
O
To Store
Supplies Safely
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