AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 22,1989
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OPINION
A Break Ag Deserves
In a recent local city newspaper article, high nitrate levels in
the water supply of municipalities, mobile home parks and nurs
ing homes were blamed on manure and fertilizers on Lancaster
County farms. But while local farms produce a lot of livestock
manure, it may not be as excessive as was thought.
Gerald Heistand, ag engineer for the Lancaster County Con
servation District, says a new study indicates there isn’t an over
abundance of manure. Heistand bases his thinking on die find
ings of a nutrient analysis done on the manure produced in 19 of
the Lancaster County Townships. This study commissioned by
the Lancaster County Solid Waste Authority sought to find
where manure excess and deficient areas existed, based on the
amount of nitrogen. Information was used that had been col
lected from 575 farms during 1986 and 1987 as part of the Che
sapeake Bay Assessment Project.
“We thought we’d have very high figures,” Heistand said,
“But only two townships have more than one in five farms high
in nitrogen.”
Actually, if manure in each township was spread evenly over
the whole area, only two townships would have an excess of nit
rogen while the remaining townships would all have-deficits.
Up to now, it has been easy to blame agriculture for all non
point nitrogen pollution in our water supply because no sup
porting research information had been available. Now at least
we have some knowledge of how much to blame our farmers on
this issue. And now it will he easier to direct some of the blame
to other sources of pollution such as on-lot septic systems, septic
system cleansers, and residential fertilizers. This is a break agri
culture deserves.
Farm Calendar
Saturday, April 22
Penn State Dairy Science Club
Exposition, Ag Arena, Univer
sity Park, 9:00 a.m.
Maryland State Jersey Sale, Jim
Stonesifer Farm, Union Bridge,
Md.. 11:00 a.m.
Monday, April 24
Grange Week Workshops, Holi
day Inn Harrisburg Grantville,
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.; banquet
at 5:00 p.m.
Bradford County 4-H Presentation
Night, Towanda Middle
School, Towanda, 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 25
Delmarva Poultry Industry Boos
ter Banquet, Wicomico Youth
& Civic Center, Salisbury. Md.,
6:30 p.m.
Penn State Livestock Judging &
Evaluation Update, Beef/Sheep
Center, Penn State, University
Park; runs through April 26.
Wednesday, April 26
Mid-Atlantic State Association of
Avian Veterinarians seminar,
George Washington Inn, Wil
liamsburg, Va.; runs through
April 29.
Thursday, April 27
Pennsylvania Poultry Federation
banquet, Hershey Convention
Center, Hershey, 5:30 p.m.
social, 7:00 p.m. dinner.
Northwestern Pennsylvania Bee
keepers Association course,
NW Rural Electric Building,
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
1 E. Main St.
Ephrata, PA 17522
by
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A SMnimn EntuprS*
Robart Q. Campbell General Manager
Everett R. Newtwanger Managing Editor
C»pyrl|W IMS ky Lancaster Farming
* v '• 5 x.
Cambridge Spring, 7:00 p.m. to
9:30 p.m.; continues on May 4,
7, and 11. Register by April 18
814/476-1260 evenings.
Berks County Cattlemen’s Associ
ation spring meeting, Berks
County Ag Center, near Lein
bach’s, 7:00 p.m.
Washington County annual Cher
ry Blossom Calf & Bred Heifer
Sale, Washington Fairgrounds
arena, Washington, 7:30 p.m.
Hunterdon County Pesticide Reg
ulations Xlpdate, Hunterdon
County Extension offflce, Re
mington, NJ, 8:00 p.m. to 11:00
p.m.; Call 201/526-6293 for
registration.
Friday, April 28
Friends of Agriculture breakfast,
Sheraton Inn, Dover, 7:30 a.m.
Saturday, April 29
University of Delaware Ag Day,
Townsend Hall, University of
Delaware, Newark, 10:00 a.m.
to 3:00 p.m.
EMMSPA Maple Festival, Troy
Fairgrounds, Troy, 10:00 a.m.
Huntingdon County Spring Hol
stein Sale, Huntingdon County
fairgrounds, Huntingdon, noon.
Wayne County Holstein Breeders
Club sale, Wayne County fair
grounds, Honesdale, noon.
Northwest Pennsylvania Polled
Hereford Show & Sale, Mercer
County 4-H Park, Mercer; 2:00
p.m. show, 7:00 p.m. sale.
WHAT ARE VOO
DOING OTIS ?
?D
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Ip
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NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
To Check For
Alfalfa Weevil
Alfalfa weevils have not been a
problem for alfalfa growers since
the introduction of a parasite in the
1960’5. Last year, weevils were a
problem for some growers and
may be a larger problem this year.
Adult weevils may be present in
the field now. They are snouted
beetles approximately 3/16 inch in
length. They dark brown to
black in color with a strip halfway
down their backs. Eggs may also
be present in some Helds. Eggs are
laid in clusters of 2-25. They are
oval and approximately 1/16 inch
in length. When laid the eggs are
yellow but turn brown as they get
ready to hatch.
Check Helds that had a weevil
infestation last year first. If you
find adults or eggs, contact the
extension office.
To Rejuvenate
Worn-out Pastures
Are your pastures wom-out and
weedy? Are you thinking about
reseeding them? This could be
very costly and time consuming.
Plus, if done at this time of the
year, there is a greater risk of soil
erosion and seeding failure. The
best time to seed grasses is in early
September.
A cheaper and better alternative
might be to lime, fertilize and clip
Monday, May 1
Pennsylvania Sheep & Wool
Growers Association meeting
and banquet, meeting at Penn
State University Ag Arena,
State College, 1:00 p.m.; ban
quet at the Tavern Restaurant,
State College, 5:00 p.m.; call
814/863-3668 by April 25 for
reservations.
Tuesday, May 2
Pennsylvania Sheep & Wool
Growers Association wool sale,
Assembly Room, Nittany Lion
Inn, 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday, May 3
Maryland FFA spring judging con
tests, University of Maryland,
College Park, Md., 10:00 a.m.;
awards program in Skinner
Lecture Hall, Room 0200,3:00
p.m.
Thursday, May 4
Pesticide Examination, Lancaster
Farm & Home Center, Lancas
ter, 8:30 a.m.
Friday, May 5
Youth to Youth Club Pig & Lamb
Sale, Lebanon County fair
grounds, Lebanon, 7:00 p.m.
(Turn to Pag* A 39)
your pastures this spring to build
.an soiLfertility, to> reduce weed
competition and K\encourage the
Hisses that arfc already present.,
" 'The use of some herbicides ma?* 4
be necessary. By doing this, you
are actually preparing the jite for
' reseeding, but youmaydiscover
that your pasture is better than you
thought, and reseeding may not be
necessary. Remember,
'always no-till additional grasses
and legumes into the pasture if
desired.
To Consider
Footbaths
The use of footbaths can help
prevent the spread of foot rot
organisms, but it may not help
cows that are already infected.
Footbaths can also help toughen
up soft hooves. Hooves can
become soft when cows are
housed in wet-floored, free-stall
bams or on bedded packs, or when
they have been exposed to muddy
lots and wet pastures.
Footbaths can be located in
exits from cow stables or milking
parlors. A footbath solution can be
made by mixing 1 lb. of copper
sulfate in 5 gallons of water.
Another alternative is to mix 4-6
oz. of Formalin in 1 gallon of
water.
THE FOCUS
April 23,1989
Background Scripture:
Philippians 4.
Devotional Reading:
Psalms 148: l-6a.
How many joyful people do
you know? Are you one of them?
At this moment, I can’t think of
anyone I know who could be
described as “joyful.” I know
some people who seem to be “hap
py” myself among them. I
know a few people who are occa
sionally joyful, but no one is that
way the majority of the time. Yet,
in his letter to the Philippians,
Paul repeatedly counsels his read
ers to “Rejoice in the Lord” (3:1),
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again
I will say, Rejoice” (4:4). And
Paul represents himself as a joyful
person; “...and in that I rejoice”
(1:18). “Yes, and I shall rejoice”
(1:19), and he asks them to “com
plete my joy by being of the same
mind...” (2:2). Of Epaphroditus,
he says: “So receive him in the
Lord with all j0y...” (2:29).
YOUR REQUESTS
So, why is it that joy is such a
scarce commodity among Christ
ians? Some people respond by
saying they would be more joyful
if they had more over which to be
joyful. In other words, it is hard to
be joyful when there are so many
problems and concerns in the
world. The implication is that joy
THAT ‘CONTEMPORARY
AMERICAN'STYLE
LOOKB> NICE
WHAT TV PE OF
FORNIXIRE DO
YOU HAVE NOW ?
A dry footbath preparation can
aka be made by mixing 5 tbs. of
copper sulfate powder ~ not crys- ,
tals 'with ItX) lbs. of hydrated
lithe. * ’ • • '
To Plant Reliable
Flowers and Vegetables
In case last summer’s record
high temperatures and low preci
pitation repeats itself this summer,
here’s a list of flowers and-yeget
ables that can be relied upon to
perform.
Annuals/Omamentals
Basil; Celosia; Cleome; Cos
mos; Gazania; Gomphrena; Heli
chrysum (Strawflower); Kochia
(Summer Cypress); Mangold;
Melampodium; Mirabilis (Four
O’Clocks); Morning Glory; Nico
tiana; Ornamental Peppers; Portu
laca; Statice; Sanvitalia; Sunflow
er, Vinca; Zinnia.
Perennials
Achillea (Yarrow); Asclepias
(Butterfly weed); Coreopsis; Gail
lardia; Lavender; Rudbeckia.
Vegetables
Cucumber; Muskmelon (Cante
loupe); Okra; Squash; Tomato;
Watermelon.
The Penn State Cooperative
Extension is an affirmative action,
equal opportunity educational
institution.
is dependent upon the absence of
negativities in life. When we have
joyful experiences, wo will be joy
ful. But, when our experiences are
something else, there is no way
that we can be joyful.
Of course, if that were true, then
Paul would not ever have been
joyful, would he? Even when he
wrote this joyful letter to Philippi,
his outward circumstances were
pretty discouraging. But, if Paul
had considerable problems, he
also had considerable resources
with which to meet those prob
lems and in this letter he chooses
to concentrate on his resources,
not his problems. He doesn’t
ignore the bad, but neither does he
concentrate on it either. This is the
same advice he gives to the Philip
pians: “Have no anxiety about
anything, but in everything by
prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be
made known to God. And the
peace of .God which passes all
understanding, will keep your
hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus” (4:6.7).
THINK ON THESE
In the lives of each of us there
are both “good news” and “bad
news.” It is up to you which you
will choose for the focus of your
life. Focus it on the negativities
and you will never be able to
rejoice. But, if you choose to focus
on that which is positive and
uplifting, you will share Paul’s
happy gift of rejoicing in all
things. So, “whatever is true,
whatever is honorable, whatever
is just, whatever is pure, whatever
is lovely, whatever is gracious, if
there is any excellence, if there is
anything worthy of praise, think
about these things” (4:8).
(Baicd on copyrighted Outline* produced by
the Committee on the Uniform Seriea and used
by peimiaaion. Releaaed by Community * Sub
urban Praaa.)