AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 8,1990
OPINION
Don’t Take
With Silo
We are into silo filling time, and many farmers are already
harvesting the com crop to obtain the maximum feed nutrients they
are able to obtain through this method of preserving feed for their
animals over winter. But making silage can be hazardous to your
health. With our large tower silos, the danger of poisonous gases
becomes very important.
' We urge our farmers to discuss this hazard with their employees
and all family members. These gases can develop from one day to
14 days after the silo is filled. Most of the gases have a chlorine
laundry bleach odor and irritate the eyes and respiratory system.
Some are yellow and some are colorless.
Jay Irwin, Lancaster County agent says that with the good grow
ing season this year, farmers need to be even more cautious. The
extra moisture sometimes produces more gas.
“Never work alone around the silo,” Irwin cautions. “And
always run the blower at least 20 minutes before you enter the silo.”
Irwin said gas can also come down the entry shoot and get into
the bam and harm the animals. “Farmers know about this prob
lem,” Irwin said, “But we all need to be reminded each year about
the problem.”
These gases are heavier than air and will come down to where
you, your family, your employees and your animals live. Don’t
take chances with silo gases. They are deadly.
Farm Calendar ill
| Saturday, September
Central Maryland Swine Field
Day, REC Swine Facility,
Clarksville, Md.
S.W. 4-H District Dairy Shows,
Armstrong Co., Dayton
Fairgrounds.
Schaefferstown horse plowing
contest, 10:00 a.m.
Forage Field Day, Park and Paula
Findlay Farm, Franklin, 10:00
a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Susquehanna Co. Field Day, Aga
wam Farm, Elk Lake, 10:00
a.m.-4:00 p.m.
West Alexander Fair, Greene Co.
Thurmont and Emmitsburg Com
munity Show, Catoctin High
School, Rt. 550, Thurmont,
Md., thru Sept. 9.
Farm Forum
Editor:
You are to be commended for a
fine editorial concerning the cur
rent oil crisis and our involvement
in the Persian Gulf. I find it dis
graceful and despicable that our
country’s greed and thirst for pet
roleum will force our young men
to shed their lifeblood not in
defense of our country, but to keep
our sickening economy from
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
1 E Main St
Ephrata, PA 17522
by
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A Stemman Enterprise
Robert G Campbell. General Manager
Everett R Newswanger Managing Editor
Chances
Gases
Juniata Co. Fair, Port Royal.
Cambria Co. Fair, Ebensburg.
Spartansburg Community Fair.
Ox Hill Community Fair, Howe.
Waterford Community Fair.
West Alexander Fair.
Jamestown Community Fair.
York Inter-State Fair, York, thru
Sept. 15.
Luzerne Co. Fair, Dallas, thru
Sept. 9
Clavsbur
Farm Show.
Schaefferstown horse pulling con
test, 12:30 n.m.
Thurmont and Emmitsburg Com
munity Show, Catoctin High
School, Rt. 550, Thurmont,
Md.
York Inter-State Fair, York, thru
Sept. 15.
(Turn to Pag* AST)
dying. However, we as farmers
can go further than just encourag
ing of the ethanol
industry.
One example of alternative fuel
usage ought to be readily apparent
in Lancaster, that of draft horses.
Much has been said about their
pros and cons, so I won’t reiterate
them. I know the commitment of
(Turn to Pag* A 32)
UNCLE OTIS, WERE YOU . A
A GOOD STUDENT WHEN I
YOU WENT TO THE J
OLD COUNTRY SCHOOL ?/
NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County
Agricultural Agent
To Observe National
Farm Safety Week
President Bush has proclaimed
the week of September 16-22,
1990, as National Farm Safety
Week, the 47th annual
observance.
Every year thousands of far
mers suffer from injuries and ill
nesses. This high rate could be
reduced if farmers would invest in
safety, such as proper personal
protective equipment.
Personal protective equipment
(PPE), such as goggles, hard hats,
respirators, protective eyewear
and safety shoes, has been avail
able to fanners for a long time.
Many farmers do use PPE when
dealing with significant health
hazards. However, far too many
farmers seldom or never use PPE
on farm jobs for which protection
is needed.
When using liquid chemicals,
wear goggles designed to protect
eyes from splashes and sprays.
Respirators protect the lungs
from many airborne health
hazards on the farm, ranging from
deadly silo and manure gases to
longer term health threats from
frequent exposure to dust, molds
and chemicals.
Let’s be “safety alert” and prac
tice safe habits every day.
To Be Aware
Of Swollen Hocks
Many times we associate swol
len hock joints in cows with the
type of stall beds they are lying
upon, when in fact, the major
cause may be foot problems which
occurred several weeks or several
months earlier, according to
Glenn Shirk, Extension Dairy
Agent.
Laminitis can be a major factor
contributing to swollen hocks.
This foot problem can be caused
by feeding heifers and dry cows
too much grain too soon after
calving. The transition from a high
forage ration before calving to a
high grain ration after calving
should be done very gradually
over a period of 3-4 weeks.
Hoof care is also important.
Heifers and cows that suffer from
hoof injuries, overgrown toes.and
concrete stress are more apt to get
X SORE WAS), AS A
MATTER OF FACT
I WAS THE TOP
STUDENT IN THE
SI'KJH GRADE CLASS.
laminitis and swollen hocks.
To Ensile Corn
At The Proper Stage
Most of our com crop looks
good after a good growing season,
and com silage is an important
part of the feeding program in
dairy and feeder cattle. Harvesting
com at the right time is very
important. I’d like to point out that
more feed nutrients will be
harvested if the ear can be allowed
to mature into the early dent stage.
Silage research reveals that com
made into silage in the silk stage
will yield only 63% feed nutrients
while com in the dent stage should
give silage with 69% feed
nutrients.
The important thing is to allow
the ear to develop properly before
ensiling, if at all possible. Com is
a valuable crop; let’s make every
effort to harvest the maximum
feed nutrients.
To Be Aware
Of The Century
Farm Program
The Century Farm Program is
GOD DIDN'T ASK
FOR A HOUSE
September 9,1990
Background Scripture: 2
Samuel 7.
Devotional Reading; Psalms
132:1-12.
When I was a boy of 12, in
those days just before the attack
on Pearl Harbor, my uncle was in
the U.S. Army stationed in
Hawaii. One day about a month
before Christmas, I saw in a
department store window a box of
individually-wrapped cheeses,
crackers and so forth, made up
especially to send to “our boys
overseas.” I decided that 1 would
have to find some way to earn
enough money to buy that pack
age and send it to my Unde John.
For days I hounded my parents for
chores, a loan, anything. I was
absolutely committed to that pro
ject It never dawned on me to ask
someone if my uncle really liked
cheese or if that was what he
needed most. It was my idea and I
wasn’t going to let anything stand
in my way!
One of the most consistent trou
bles God has with us is our ten
dency to become very zealous to
do for God something he really
doesn’t want done. It would seem
that we take up these projects for
the best of reasons - like the Cru
sades, the Inquisitions, the burn
ing of “witches,” and so forth. Pre
sumably, this is for God’s sake,
but we often make the mistake of
failing to .ask him what he wants.
A GOOD IDEA?
So it was with King David. Sec
ure and happy in his elegant new
house in Jerusalem, he feels per
haps a little guilty that, in compar
aimed at recognizing the efforts of
Pennsylvania’s farm families
which have preserved the tradition
of the rural heritage of the pioneer
farm.
The program was started as part
of the Nation’s bicentennial obser
vance in 1976, but is being con
tinued for its value in promoting
the ideals of the family farm and
the importance of farming to
Pennsylvania’s economy.
To be eligible for Certification
as a Pennsylvania Century Farm, a
farm must have been owned by the
same family for the last 100 con
secutive years, and a family mem
ber must currently reside on the
land. In addition, the farm must
consist of ten or more acres of the
original holdings or gross at least
$l,OOO a year from the sale of
agriculture products.
We encourage you to partici
pate in this program that is admi
nistered by the Pennsylvania
Department of Agriculture.
Applications are available at the
County Extension Office.
ison, God still has nothing more
impressive than the tent of the
tabernacle. “See now,” he tells the
prophet Nathan, “I dwell in a
house of cedar, but the ark of God
dwells in a tent” (7:2). Who could
fault David for an idea like that? It
was something he was going to do
for God. Think of the promotional
possibilities: “Let’s all get
together and build God a house!”
Even Nathan thought it was a
good idea: “Go, do all that is in
your heart; for the Lord is with
you” (7:3).
It must have come as a shock to
Nathan when, that same night, he
received a revelation in which
God told him very plainly that he
did not need or want a house -- at
least, not at that time. Many years
ago, when I first read this story, I
felt God was being just a bit tacky.
If David wanted to build him a
temple, why turn him down? His
heart was in the right place, wasn’t
it?
GOD’S REASONS
Since then, however, I’ve real
ized that God had his reasons for
saying no to David’s building pro
ject. As a mere mortal, I can only
guess at those reasons. For one
thing, nHybe God saw David’s
offer coming from a guilty consci
ence over the opulence of his own
dwelling. Or maybe it was
because God didn’t want David
and the kingdom to think that he
was dependent upon them, but
rather the other way around.
David’s plan was perhaps rather
patronizing. Maybe God simply
wanted to emphasize to David that
what he really wanted from David
was something quite different and
building a temple would have only
distracted David from God’s true
desire.
Our projects, no matter how
well-motivated, often get in the
way of God’s plans. So, next time
you set out to do something for
God, why not ask him first what
he wants?
(Based on copyrighted Outlines produced by
the Committee on the Uniform Series and used
by permission Released by Community <fe Sub
urban Press)
ACTUALLY, I WAS THE <
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BUT HE DOESN’T
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