UasMter
OPINION
Sustainable Food Supply
The growing plant can’t tell the difference between a nutrient
derived from so called natural sources such as manure or soy
beans, or from manufactured fertilizer.
But with the publicity about nitrates in drinking water, manu
factured fertilizer has somehow been regarded as more to blame
lor environmental problems than nutrients produced by farm
animals. But it isn’t true. Where there is a heavy concentration
of animal agriculture, levels of nitrogen and phosphorous are
more pronounced.
One fact often overlooked by the environmental media is that
in the 1930 s and 19405, prior to the use of commercial fertiliz
ers, drinking water wells in many parts of the United States
exceeded the current drinking water standard for nitrogen. So
the situation has not changed much over the last 50 years. But
with the advances in technology in agriculture, we have the lux
ury of an abundant food supply. And therefore, we can afford to
be more critical of any excessive application of plant food on our
fields.
From a practical viewpoint, as well as to be more conscious of
the environment, farmers should use the best agronomic man
agement practices. They should use conservation tillage, no-till,
ridge planting, strip tillage and crop rotations. In addition, they
should manage irrigation and use the proper placement and
proper liming of fertilizer applications. Where soil tests show
excessive nutrients, they should manage manure and fertilizer
applications to meet the needs.
No longer, can the farmer say, “I’ll put a little extra fertilizer
on the fields for good measure.” In fact, he may need to reduce
the number of animals on his farm so he does not need to make
excessive manure applications to his fields.
Along with proper management of nutrient application, the
farmer should also consider the use of grass waterways and veg
etative buffer strips where needed. When you reduce soil ero
sion, you reduce nutrient losses and keep them at home where
they belong.
The challange is to make sure enough nutrients are available
to grow the crop but not more than enough to harm the environ
ment. With this balance of manure and commercial fertilizer
applications along with good cropping methods, agriculture will
truly be sustainable. And so will the American food supply.
Farm Calendar
Saturday, July 22
Chester County Country Fair, Not
tingham Park, Nottingham,
11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; rain
date July 23.
Jefferson County Holstein Club
sale, Jefferson County fair
grounds, Sykesville, noon.
Lancaster County goat field day,
Jacob Fisher’s Windy Hill Goat
Farm, Manheim, 1:00 p.m. to
4:00 p.m.; call 394-6851 for
additional information.
Shippensburg Community Fair,
Shippensburg: runs through
July 29.
Bradford-Tioga Jersey picnic, Bob
Duncan Farm, Mansfield.
Tioga Holstein Club
Strawberry Festival, Dean Baity
Farm, Covington, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 23
Clarion County Fair, New Beth
lehem; runs through July 29.
Lancaster Fanning
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
1 E. Main St.
Ephrata, PA 17522
by .
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A SMnmtn Enhrprkt
Robert G. Campbell General’ Manager
Everett R. Newswangar , Managing Editor
CspyrlflM INMy Unetttor Farminf
Shippensburg Fair, Shippensburg
Fairgrounds
Monday, July 24
Berks County 4-H Dairy Roundup,
Reading fairgrounds, Reading,
1:00 p.m. fitting and showman
ship; type show at 9:30 a.m.
July 25.
Conneaut Valley Fair, Conneaut;
runs through July 29.
Jefferson Township Fair, Mercer;
runs through July 29.
Kimberton Fair, Phoenixville;
runs through July 29.
Troy Fair, Troy; runs through July
29.
Tuesday, July 25
North American Dairy Sheep
Symposium, University of
Minnesota, St. Paul campus;
runs through July 28.
Rodale Research Center Field
Days, Rodale Research Center,
(Turn to Page A 33)
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NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
To Make Summer
Alfalfa Seeding
Early to mid-August are good
times to seed alfalfa, particularly
in this part of the state. When
seeded during the period of good
soil moisture, the plants have time
to become established before
freezing weather arrives.
Alfalfa is still one of our major
forage crops and deserves the very
best of planning and management.
Band seeding is the best method to
make this seeding.
Weed control is a “must” with a
straight seeding without a nurse
crop. Many stands are injured by
poor weed control during the first
year. Refer to the 1989-90 Agro
nomy Guide for assistance on
weed control practices. Be aware
that alfalfa should not be planted
in ground that has been treated for
com weed control during the past
year, especially fields sprayed
with atrazine. Alfalfa is an excel
lent forage crop; however, it does
require attention and good
management.
To Store Round
Hay Bales Inside
Recent data collected in Okla
homa illustrates the need for hay
storage structures, even for round
bales, according to Chester Hugh
es, Extension Livestock Agent.
Bales stored under cover on pal
lets or in an enclosed bam had less
than 2% dry matter loss. When
compared with the 13% loss for
bales with direct ground contact
and without curves, it is easy to
justify a storage structure. Penn
State research during the late
1970’s gave similar results of 3%
and 14% loss for inside and out
side storage, respectively. These
numbers do not consider the nega
tive impact of outside storage on
forage quality, which can be even
more important than the quantity
loss.
In addition to the increased
storage loss, feeding and handling
losses are higher when round
bales are stored outside. Research
conducted in Missouri indicated
that round bales stored outside
uncovered had a 25% feeding loss.
Comparable feeding loss for bales
stored inside was abouf 12%.
Thus, a 13% reduction in feeding
loss was attained by storing round
bales inside.
The combination of storage and
feeding dry. matter losses can be
cut in half by storing round bales
inside rather than outside.
To Fertilize
Strawberry Plants
Most strawberry growers would
like to forget this year... the exces
sive rain resulted in about a 50%
crop. But, let’s be positive about
next year. In order to realize the
maximum yield next spring, we
suggest the plants be well fertil
ized this summer. An application
of 20 to 30 pounds of actual nitro
gen per acre over the plants during
July or August should give
strength to new runners and
increase fruit yield. This applica
tion should be made when the
plants are dry to avoid burning the
leaves. In the home strawberry
patch use about one-fourth pound
of ammonium nitrate per 100
square feet of bed space. Good
care of the strawberry plants this
summer will bring about better
yields next June.
To Check Pets
For Fleas
Warm weather favors the deve-
BY WHOSE
HAND?
July 23,1989
Background Scripture:
Judges 7
Devotional Reading:
Isaiah 43:1-13
During this country’s Civil
War, President Abraham Lincoln
had great difficulties in getting
Army General George B. McClel
lan to attack the enemy. No matter
how many troops he had under his
command, Gen. McClellan
always believed that he did not
have enough men.
It seems most unusual, then, to
come across an incident where,
instead of having too few to do the
job, they had too many! Actually,
it didn’t have to do with the size of
the Israeli forces, but with God’s
apprehension that the people of
Israel would assume that they, not
him, were responsible for the vic
tory. He wants to help them throw
off the yoke of oppression, but he
knows that his help, unless recog
nized, may make them more, not
less, unfaithful.
MY OWN HAND
Isn’t that a common trap for
many of us, too? How often have
we in need, like the people of
Israel, “cried for help to the
Lord”? But let us get on top of the
situation and in our exuberance
we are likely to think: “My own
hand has delivered me” (7:2b), or
words to that effect.
So, Gideon continues to pare
down the size of his forces until
there are but 300 men left. In the
face of the thousands of enemies,
these soldiers of Israel are not
likely to think that they won the
victory on their own. It would be
tempting to think that after Gideon
overcame his initial skepticism
over the angel’s challenge that he
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lopment of fleas and you will And
them jumping right now. First of
all treat the dogs and cats with
commercial flea powders. Flea
collars appear to do a good job
against fleas but check the pet fre
quently because the skin of some
animals becomes irritated by the
material in the collar. For indoors,
treat infestecd areas with ant and
roach aerosols. Do not overlook
the bedding of pets or their sleep
ing quarters. Sevin does an effec
tive job in this area.
Because fleas often infest lawns
in the summer, treat the grass with
sprays or dust containing either
Sevin or Diazinon. Apply these
sprays according to the directions
on the containers.
The Cooperative Extension is
an affirmative action, equal
opportunity educational
institution.
became more daring and respon
sive. But when God assures
Gideon that he has “given it (the
Midianite camp) into your hand,”
God caters to Gideon’s doubts:
“But if you fear to go down, go
down to the camp with Phurah
« your servant; and you shall hear
what they say and afterward your
hands shall be strengthened to go
down against the camp” (7:11).
And Gideon takes him up on the
offer and does just that!
What fascinates me about this
story is that God is so accommo
dating to Gideon’s skepticism. He
knows what kind of man Gideon is
and fashions his approach appro
priately. Nor does he seem to
mind it that Gideon is so cautious.
There is not one word of reproach
from the Lord when Gideon
requires more persuasion.
WHAT COMES FIRST?
Apparently God also knows
what Gideon is capable of. God
knows that once he overcomes his
customary caution, Gideon will be
everything that the angel intended
when he said, “The Lord is with
you, you mighty man of valor.”
Potentially, Gideon was “a mighty
man of valor.”
But let us not lose sight of the
most important part of that situa
tion: “The Lord is with y0u...”
That comes first—because God is
with him, Gideon can be the man
God kneu 1 s him to be. But the
probabili.> of his success rests
upon the fact that God is with him
and it is the Lord who will deliver
their enemies into his hand. With
God’s hand strengthening him, he
can accomplish the mission, but it
is God’s hand that will deliver
Gideon and his people.
When, while lying in hiding, he
hears the Midianile’s dream of
God helping the Israelites,
Gideon is convinced at last and
goes back to tell his troops;
“Arise; for the Lord has given the
host of Midian into your hand”
(7:15b). There comes a time
when, after our honest doubts and
questions, we need to make the
plunge of faith and do the work
God has placed in our hands.
(Based on copyrighted Outlines produced by
the Committee on the Uniform Series and used
by permission. Released by Community & Sub
urban Press.)
I'D BETTER GO BACK
AND HAVE ANOTHER
SLICE OF EACH...