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OPINION
July 4 Celebrations
In refusing to hear the Dick Christy case, the Supreme Court
of the United States has indicated there is no Constitutional right
to protect property, said President of the American Sheep Indus
try Association Bill Schneemann. “That carries serious implica
tions for the sheep business and other livestock operations. I am
concerned these high court officials did not see the critical
importance of this issue.”
Stock grower groups from across the nation, including the
ASI, joined Christy as- Friends of the Court, encouraging the
Supreme Court to test the case. The Montana rancher was
charged by authorities after killing a Grizzly bear that had
repeatedly killed his sheep that were grazing on leased land near
Glacier National Park.*
“It’s a sad day to deny a citizen a Constitutional right to pro
tect his property, and that’s all I was doing in July, 1982,” said
Christy after hearing the decision. “Had I not shot the Grizzly
bear, he would have killed more of my sheep as they had been
doing in the previous two weeks. If we can’t protect our flocks,
how can we raise them?”
Christy has spent more than $45,000 fighting decisions on
this case. The Montana Wool Growers Association has raised
$6,700 from private donations to help defer costs. His attorneys
are now investigating other legal recourse.
Supreme Court Justice Byron White wrote a dissenting opin
ion to the court’s decision an unusual move when the court is
denying a hearing. White sided with Christy, saying a Constitu
tional question is involved. He called the right to protect proper
ty aliberty “deeply rooted in this Nation’s history and tradition.”
As we celebrate the birthday of the nation’s independence,
this week, these bits of history and tradition take on even more
meaning. If farmers can't protect their property, we have estab
lished underlying implications for all U.S. citizens. Implications
that don’t line up with our July 4 celebrations.
Farm Calendar
Saturday, July 1
World Guernsey Conference,
' Stratford, Ontario, Canada;
runs through July 24.
Kutztown Folk Festival, Kutz
town; runs through July 9.
NACAA Annual Meeting, New
Jersey
5-Acre Com Club enrollment
deadline.
Sunday, July 2 begins 10:00 a.m. Friday, Open
Pennsylvania Governor’s School Show begins 9:30 a.m.
of Agriculture For High School Saturday.
Students, Penn State; runs Keystone Lamb/Wool Festival,
through August 5. Ag Arena, Penn State, Univer-
Monday, July 3 sity Park; runs through July 9.
Butler Fair, fairgrounds, Butler; Lancaster County Plant Clinic,
runs through July 8. (Turn to Pag* A3l) ~
|* FARM FORUM our readers write
Editor
Thank you very much for the
beautiful, pewter milk pitcher
which I received on June 17, the
night of the Lancaster County
Dairy Princess Pageant It is an
appropriate gift for an incoming
Dairy Princess, in that many of
my future duties may include
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
1 E. Main St.
Ephrata, PA 17522
by
Lancaster Fanning, Inc.
A SMnrrmn Entorprk*
Robert G. Campbell General Manager
Everett R. Newswanger Manpginj) Editor
Cspyrifht IM9 toy LenewlißtFwmlnf
Wednesday, July 5
Western Pennsylvania Junior
Holstein Judging School,
Beaver/Lawrence County,
noon to noon on July 6.
Thursday, July 6
Seventh annual Pennsylvania
Angus Breeders Show, Center
County Orange fairgrounds.
Centre Hall, Junior Show
serving milk.
Once again, I would like to
thank you for your gift, and for
your continuous, generous support
of the agricultural community of
Lancaster County.
Angela Spickler
Lancaster County
Dairy Princess
(Of BETSY THERE HAB> PRODUCED A LOT \
( Of MILK FOR ME, OVER THE YEARS.
TrrmTfmTD xo have to savthat^—
■ ' U ii l ! T &OT A HECK OF A DEAL
. ■ ■
NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
To Use Caution When
Shipping Hogs
During hot weather we must be
very careful when shipping hogs.
Losses do occur because of ego
less hauling during hot weather.
There are several ways to pre
vent these losses. Whenever it’s
possible, haul these hogs to mark
et early or late in the day when
it’s coolest Avoid mid-day or ear
ly 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 thisUes are listed as a
noxious weed in Pennsylvania;'
this i means they should be con
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 ordi
nances should be enforced for the
best interest to all farmers. You
can spot spray with Banvcl or
Roundup for Control. Be sure to
follow label instructions. We-urge
everyone to do something about
this problem.
To Be Aware Of
Feeding New Grain
The barley harvest is nearly
completed and some farmers may
be considering using this new
grain in their feeding program.
Feeding new grains to livestock is
possible, under very careful man
agement. 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
ing. Wheat is not used as 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 Prepare For Fire
Protection
Our bams are filling up with
WHO HAS THE
LAST WORD?
July 2,1989
Background Scripture:
Judges 1 through 2.
Devotional Reading:
Genesis 12:1-9.
“Whatever possessed you to do
that?” My father asked me that on
at least several occasions and I
suppose I have asked pretty much
the same thing of my two sons
from time to time. I don’t know
that I ever gave my father a satis
factory answer or that my sons
ever answered it to my
satisfaction.
When you are on the receiving
end of this question, it seems to
have no cogent answer. We can
offer alibis and excuses, but, often
when we have done something
quite wrong or stupid, we really
don’t know why we did it Gener
ally it is not because we don’t
know any better. Usually we knew
what we were doing was consid
ered “wrong,” but somehow our
own judgement easily rode
roughshod over that awareness.
Only later, when our folly and
willfulness had made a mess of
things were we able to ask
ourselves the same question:
“Whatever possessed me to do
that?”
THE FIRST WORD
After the heady mood of the end
of the Book of Joshua, Chapter
two of Judges comes as a severe
disappointment. Now that the peo
ple of Israel have conquered the
Promised Land and the various
tribes settle down in their allotted
places, things are looking up, are
they not? They should be, but they
are not, for as the anger of the
Lord proclaims to them; “I
brought you up from Egypt and
brought you into the 1and...1 said,
T will never break my convenant
with you’...But you have not
NO, ID SAY THAT YOU GOT
YOURSELF A REAL DEAL
WHEN YOU GOT HER. -<
now crops of hay, straw and gndn
so we need to be concerned with
fire protection. We urge farmers to
give some thought to water sup
plies for fighting fires. Many far
mers indicate that their fire com
pany would be unable to supply
adequate water; this increases the
risk of serious fire losses. Farms
with streams neaiby should have
plans developed to move the fire
engine within 25 feet of the water.
Owners of farm ponds should
have an all-weather driveway to
the pond. There have been cases
where buildings burned while the
fire truck was mired down in the
mud trying to get to the pond. It’s
a good idea to inform your local
fire company of the source of
water supply for fighting fires. A
good water supply for fighting
fires is good insurance against
severe losses.
obeyed my command. What is this
that you have done?” (Judges
2:1,2).
There’s that terrible question
again. And they don’t have an
answer either. The writer tells us
simply that: “...the people lifted up
their voices and j wept” (2:4). Just
as we cannot explain why we diso
bey God’s will, neither could they.
What makes it so particularly hard
to understand is that our disobedi
ence usually comes so close on the
heels of God’s promises and sav
ing acts to us. The first word in
this running conversation between
God .and his creatures is always
the word of his promise.
THOSE OTHER GODS
Unfortunately, our response all
too often is a silent but nonethe
less telling word of disobedience
or disloyalty. From our vantage
point, we can’t help wondering
why the people of Israel would
forsake God who had done so
much for them who led them
out of Egypt, through the divided
waters of the Red Sea, who fed
them in the wilderness with man
na and then led them into the
Promised Land in victory.
What could the gods of the
Canaanites, the Baals and Ashtar
oth, offer them? Probably the
Israelites were attracted by the
same kinds of things that false
gods offer us today: the thrill of
forbidden fruit, unbridled self
gratification, salve for our sensi
tive egos, and the lure of “doing
what we please!” There is a cur
rent fascination with evil. Righte
ousness seems “dull” and licen
tiousness “fun.” We wink at gov
ernment officials who lie a little,
steal a little, and cheat quite a bit.
Still, just as God has the first
word, he also has the last word.
Our refusal to keep the covenant is
not the end of the story. Neither is
the judgement of God which
comes upon us as a result of our
infidelity. In the midst of all this
comes the last word: “Then the
Lord raised up judges who saved
them out of the power of those
who plundered them” (2:16). The
last word is always God’s word of
redemption.
* (Based on copyrighted Outlines produced by
the Committee on the Uniform Senes and used
by permission. Released by Community & Sub
urban Press.)