AlO-lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 19,1989
OPINION
“We’re Thinking Of You!”
Sometimes to be first with the news is heartbreaking. Last
week, when we received word at press time that the highly
respected Keystone Guernsey herd of the Roger Campbell fami
ly at Halifax had been confirmed positive to bovine tuberculo
sis, we were again grateful to have contacts that keep us on top
of the farm news.
But the heartbeat of farming within us drew back from the
devastation and pressure that this story would put on the Camp
bell family, the Guernsey breed, the Pennsylvania dairy industry
and many other segments of Pennsylvania agriculture not yet
known.
As we knew would happen, the Campbell family has been
thrown into the media spotlight. Through no known fault of their
own, they have seen the branding iron of condemnation placed
on the jaws of some of their prized show cows (the heart of their
breeding program). And unless you have worked with cows
yourself, you have no idea how this hurt feels.
In addition, the Campbells have been faced with the prospect
that family members and other persons may have been placed at
a health risk from contact with their cows. This prospect is as
awesome as the loss of their dairy animals. One day you have no
indication you have a problem, the next day you are die probable
cause of other people’s hurt. What trepidation this causes in the
hearts of those involved.
And other herds are affected. Animals sold from Keystone are
now also known to have the disease. Wouldn't you know, one of
these animals was bought by a blind girl in the Chester County
4-H program that had used this prize animal (champion of the
4-H dairy show) to help her overcome her handicap? So the hurt
continues.
And while the loss of the inherent genetics to the Guernsey
breed from this top dairy herd is not as emotional, the loss is
great and will be felt for many years to come. And the loss of
Pennsylvania’s certified tuberculosis free status will be costly,
too.
But, to Joan Liesau, former editor here, who broke her story in
Lancaster Farming, thank you. Your all night work and sym
pathetic reporting on this major farm news story will greatly
enhance your writing carear. .
And to the Campbell family and all those persons who are and
will be affected by this misfortune, we can only say as all your
fellow Dairy of Distinction families from across Pennsylvania
said in the sympathy card they signed at Ag Progress Days this
week-“ We’re thinking of you!”
Farm Calendar
Saturday, August 19
Central Pennsylvania Holstein
Championship Show, Hunting
don fairgrounds, 6:00 p.m.
Sleepy Hollow Ranch Day n,
Sleepy Hollow Ranch, Penns
burg, noon to 8:00 p.m.; for
more information, call
215/679-3304.
Warren County Holstein Sale,
County fairgrounds, Pittsfield,
noon.
Sunday, August 20
Franklin County Fair, Chambers
burg; runs through August 26.
Fulton County Fair, McConnels
burg; runs through August 26.
Somerset County Fair, Meyers
dale; runs through August 26.
Westmoreland County Fair,
Greensburg; runs through August
26.
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
1 E. Main St.
Ephrata, PA 17522
by
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A Sldmrmn Enlwpnke
Robert G. Campbell General Manager
Everett R. Newswanger Managing Editor
Copyright IM9 toy Unustor Farming
Cameron County Fair, Emporium;
runs through August 26.
Carbon County Agricultural Fair,
Lchighton; runs through August
.26.
Crawford County Fair, Meadville;
runs through August 27.
Monday, August 21
Mountain Area Fair, Farmington;
runs through August 26.
Tuesday, August 22
Northeast Pennsylvania Holstein
Championship Show, Tioga
County Fairgrounds, Whitney
ville, 9:30 a.m.
Blue Valley Farm Show, Bangor;
runs through August 26.
Elizabethtown Community Fair,
Elizabethtown; runs through
August 26.
Harford Fair, Harford; runs
(Turn to Pago AM)
■% - m l *
N
NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
'Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
To Avoid Feeding
Uncured Silage
Do you want to throw your
cows off feed and reduce their dai
ly milk production? One good
way of doing this is to feed them
uncured silage, according to
Glenn Shirk, Extension Dairy
Agent. This is a problem that is
hard to prevent during silo filling
time, especially if you have only
one silo and you have no cured sil
age to feed while other silos are
being filled and cured. However,
with a little thought and effort, this
problem could be prevented on
many farms. If you don’t have
extra silos available to give you
the flexibility you need at harvest
time, consider putting some of this
year’s silage in a small stack, pile
or bunker, and feed from it during
next year’s harvest season. The
same idea will work this year if
you have some com that will be
ready to chop 3 or 4 weeks ahead
of the rest of your com crop.
To Enforce “Biosecurity”
Emergency and common dis
eases are produced by microbes or
germs which are invisible except
when viewed under a microscope.
In less than a day a single microbe
can reproduce and multiply to a
number greater than the number of
people on earth. Microbes are our
enemy and are killers. Keeping
these prolific killers off your pre
mises and out of your poultry and
animals is the key to your herd or
flock’s health and the success of
your business. It is possible to
keep a germ free operation by
using a health plan called
“BIOSECURITY.” In simple
terms it is informed common
sense. Do not bring germs to your
farm and do not take them to
another farm.
Dairy farmers are concerned
with the tentative diagnosis of TB
in Dauphin County and poultry
farmers are alert to the H 7 N 3
Avian Influenza antibodies that
were found in two broiler breeder
flocks in Virginia. The H7N3 virus
is not the same as the HjN 2 Avian
Influenza virus that we exper
ienced in 1983-84. It can however
become very dangerous and lethal
to poultry.
It all points to the need to pre
vent the spread of disease from
farm to farm. We have too much
to lose by not taking precautions.
look at those bales of
HAV FLY IN& AROUND.
X WONDER WHAT'S GOING
ON OVER THERE ?
To Plan Winter
Cover Crops
This is a good time to give some
v thought to a winter crop cover on
land that has been tilled this past
season. The seeding of ryegrass,
bromegrass, or winter grains fol
lowing the harvesting of the main
crop this fall, will help reduce soil
erosion.
In addition, a cover crop adds
organic matter when it is incorpor
ate! into the soil next spring. Cov
er crops are especially helpful on
slopes and hillsides where water
erosion is a problem. Just a word
of caution, some herbicides used
on com (atrazine) may prevent
growth of any grain or cover crop
this fall.
To Determine
Fertilizer Needs
The early fall months are good
times to do soil testing and learn
what plant nutrients will be
\m i
fea mmg
1% KptMm
BEYOND
PREJUDICE
August 20,1989
Background Scripture:
Ruth 2 and 3.
Devotional Reading:
Luke 12:22-32.
When Naomi returned to her
native Bethlehem with Ruth, her
Moabitess daughter-in-law, the
writer tell us that "the whole town
was stirred because of them.”
(1:19). We do not know why the
people were “stirred,” but, prob
ably they were surprised at both
the return of Naomi and the fact
she was bringing a foreign woman
to live in their midst As we men
tioned last week, Israelites and
Moabites were generally enemies
and in addition there were strict
prohibitions against any social
contact with foreigners.
Nevertheless, despite Israel’s
traditional suspicion and disdain
for foreigners, there were some
local customs that were more ben
evolent and compassionate. Dur
ing the barley harvest it was cus
tomary for the owners of the fields
to permit poor people to glean in
the fields after the workers had
harvested the crop. No man was
ever to be so selfish that he
refused to leave any remnants of
his crop to help die poor. So,
Boaz’s first response to Ruth is
one of compassion-he told his
workers to be sure that there was
enough for her to glean.
His next reaction was one of
respect. When Ruth asks him,
“Why have I found favor in your
eyes, that you should take notice
of me. when I am a foreigner?",
Boaz gives her his answer: “All
that you have done for your
mother-in-law since the death of
your husband has been fully told
me, and how you left your father
and mother and your native land
needed for the 1990 cropping sea
son. When the plant nutrient needs
are known for this fall, some of
them can be applied to the soil,
and others can be ordered. Be sure
to include the nutrient value of
manure when planning your fertil
izer needs. The appropriate nutri
tive values of the different man
ures are listed on page 19 of the
1989-90 Agronomy Guide.
With fall application, the plants
will have time to absorb some of
the plant nutrients and strengthen
it for the winter. This is especially
true with alfalfa and some of the
perennial grass crops. When soil
tests are made this fall, the land
owner has more time to locate and
deal for his lime and fertilizer
needs.
The Cooperative Extension is
an affirmative action, equal op
portunity educational institution.
md came to a people that you did
not know before” (2:10,11).
No matter how great was the
xejudice against foreigners, it
neither kept Boaz from following
he tradition of permitting poor
people to glean in his fields, nor
did it keep him from giving Ruth
the respect and admiration due her
for her loving care for Naomi.
So impressed was Boaz with
Ruth, that he asked her to share his
lunch with him. Afterward, he
gave special instructions to the
workers so that they should make
sure that she would have much
from which to glean. Compassion
and kindness had overcome preju
dice and selfishness. We can see
this same characteristic in Ruth
when she returns to Naomi.
Instead of eating everything
placed before her by Boaz, she
saved what was left over, took it
home and “gave her what food she
had left over after being satisfied”
(2:18). Impressive as had been
Ruth’s words when she committed
herself to follow Naomi, her
actions were even more admir
able.
FAMILY OBLIGATIONS
There is another element in this
story that illustrates compassion
winning out over prejudice and
selfishness. Naomi knew of the
old Levirate, law that requested
nearest of kin to marry widows of
members of the family so that the
name of ,l ’e deceased could be
perpetu It seems a strange
custom today, but its purpose
was admirable; families will take
care of their own people. This is
institutionalized compassion and
it saved many widows from desti
tution. Following the advice of
Naomi who was well familiar with
the custom, Ruth comes to Boaz at
the threshing floor and entreats
him:” ...spread your skirt over
your maidservant, for you arc next
of kin” (3:9). This was a symbolic
gesture indicating that Ruth would
henceforth be under his protection
as her husband.
Thus, because of Ruth’s per
severance, Naomi’s wisdom, and
Boaz’s compassion, human kind
ness conquered prejudice.
(B.aed on copyrighted Outline! produced by
die Committee on the Uniform Seiiee end mod
oy peimunon. Releuod by Community A Sub
urban Pieu.)
OH, J?ALPH promised
HIS TEENAGE SOWS THAT
THEY COULD HAVE THE
CAR TONIGHT IF THEY
GOT THE BALING DONE
THIS AFTERNOON.