AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 22, 1990
OPINION
The Christmas Story
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a
decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be tax
ed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrcnius was gover
nor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own
city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of
Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called
Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of
David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great
with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days
were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she
brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling
clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room
for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the
field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, 10, the
angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord
shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the
angel said unto them. Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tid
ings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is
bom this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the
Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly
there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host prais
ing God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them
into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go
even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass,
which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with
haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a
manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad
the saying which was told them concerning the child. All they
that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by
the shepherds.
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light;
they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them
hath the light shined.
For unto us a child is bom, unto us a son is given; and the
government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be
called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlast
ing Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 _F_—
Farm Calendar
Tuesday, December 25
Merry Christmas!
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
1 E Mam St
Ephrata, PA 17522
by
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A Stemman Enterprise
General Manager
Everett R Newswanger Managing Editor
Robert G Campbell
Copyright Itto by Lanaaator Farming
Penn State area tax meeting, Sha
dow Brook Dairy Barn,
Tunkhannock.
(Turn to Page A 36)
Farm Forum
Editor
Having just read article P.F.A.
speaks out on gait collapse by
farm leader Keith Eckle. I as a
dairyman and farmer have some
questions or comments I would
like to make.
1. Mr. Eckel says the E.C. was
stealing U.S. farm income and
markets. If these prices are so high
with their subsidy why can we not
yooA Chßlsjw
I utsH Jbu A Ateflty Chris:
% MSA )bo A AACRRV CHgT
ahda >o
o
0 &
\o*
.■ini
NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County
Agricultural Agent
An area of our operation that is
very important at this time of year
is inventory. With the close of the
year most of our farmers close-out
their records for the year. This
means that if you are going to
have a Farm Analysis made you
should take inventory of all your
supplies.
You’ll need this to do any kind
of farm analysis, because the
amount of grains, hay and other
supplies that are in storage will
vary from year to year, and unless
this is taken into consideration,
you cannot have an accurate
analysis of your year’s operation.
So, as accurately as possible,
record the amount of hay, grains,
feed, seeds and fertilizer that are
on hand. This is the first step in an
accurate farm analysis.
It is impossible for high produc
ing cows to consume enough feed
to support the amount of milk they
produce in early lactation, accord
ing to Glenn Shirk, Extension
Dairy Agent. Thus in an effort to
sustain their will to milk, high pro
ducing cows must draw upon their
body reserves in early lactation.
For this reason, it is very impor
tant to feed cows properly during
their dry period so they will be in
proper condition at calving time.
Researchers have found that
niacin (vitamin B 3) can help cows
mobilize their body reserves and
reduce the risk of ketosis, which is
the excess production of ketones.
They accomplish this by feeding
6-12 grams of niacin per cow per
day starting two weeks bclore
calving and continuing for 100
days after calving.
compete with our much lower
prices.
2. Why should any country cut
their farmers prices to match ours
or have their farming community
in the dire straits ours is in today.
3. Is bringing their commodity
prices down to ours where the cost
of production sometimes is not
even covered going to help
G
To Take Inventory
To Evaluate Cows
Need For Niacin
(Turn to Pag* A3l)
To Check
Barn Ventilation
Proper ventilation of all types
of livestock and poultry buildings
is very important during the wint
er months. When the warm,
moisture-laden air is not moved
out of the area, we usually see
condensation on the windows,
walls and ceilings. This is espe
cially true with little or poor insu
lation. Exhaust fans will move the
air out, and protect the building.
During this time of year bams are
filled with livestock; these ani
mals give off large amounts of
body heat. When condensation
occurs it is a sign that some atten
tion is needed; in most cases it is a
problem with ventilation or with
insulation, To Protect
Orchard Fruit
Trees
While most of the hard work for
fruit growers may be over, it is
that time of the year for mice, deer
DARE WE LET THE
CHILD GROW UP?
December 23,1990
Background Scripture:
Luke 2:1-20; John 10:1-18,
Devotional Reading:
John 1:1-14.
About 40 years ago, the late
Rev. Frederick W. Meek, then
Minister of the Old South Church
in Boston, preached a sermon that
was entitled, “Dare We Let The
Christmas Child Grow Up?” I
remembered that fine sermon a
few minutes ago while I was in the
midst of silently complaining that
the Christmas narrative in Luke 2
had been linked with a very
unchristmasy passage from John
(10:1-18) by the Committee on the
Uniform Series. The idea of treat
ing the baby Jesus in the manger
of Bethlehem with the adult image
of the Good Shepherd seemed
incongruous.
Then, I, remembered Meek’s
sermon buried for four decades in
a book on my shelves (Monday to
Friday Is Not Enough, Oxford
University Press, 1951). I remem
bered that Meek said that Christ
ians were constantly trying to
keep Jesus in the stable, because a
child in the manger is much easier
to manage than a grown-up Jesus
on his way to the cross. The infant
Jesus, like all infants, cannot say
anything to us. He can only coo or
cry. But the adult Jesus that grows
up from the infant in the manger
can call and challenge us as Jesus
does.
WHAT’S THE
GOOD NEWS?
So, it may be difficult for us to
merge these two images the
baby in a manger and the Christ on
a cross but neither has any
meaning for us until we can hold
on to both of them. What makes
the birth of Jesus so celebrative is
AND MAY
HEALTH,
PROS
and rabbits to get busy.
On young trees preventive mea
sures are necessary. The most
effective way to prevent rabbit
damage is to use tree trunk guards
on individual trees. Cylinders of
1/4-inch mesh hardware cloth 18
to 24 inches high, set into the
ground surrounding the tree, will
help prevent gnawing damage to
the main stem. The “self
wrapping” plastic wrap also does
an excellent job.
Another way to keep rabbits
and deer from chewing branches
and buds is to “paint” tree trunks
and limbs with a mixture of 5 to 6
pounds of powdered rosin in one
gallon of ordinary alcohol. Simply
use a whitewash brush to apply the
material. The rabbits and deer find
the rosin too gritty and aside from
an occasional nip will usually
leave the tree alone. Be sure to
apply the material to a height well
above the reach of the deer.
not just that a very special child is
bom, but that that child will also
become the Good Shepherd who
assures us, “I lay down my life for
the sheep” (John 10:15).
Actually, the passage from John
10 about the Good Shepherd helps
us to better understand the cele
brative theme of Luke’s birth nar
ratives. The “great joy” of which
the angels spoke is to be found in
the quality of love that later was to
be manifest in this Christ child
grown to manhood. That is what
makes it such “good news of a
great joy”! The child in the man
ger is but a promise of the “Savior
who is Christ the Lord.”
CAMPAIGN PROMISES
Otherwise, Christmas just puts
us in the position of being disap
pointed again. How often we cele
brate a fellow human being who
promises to right our wrongs and
meet our deepest needs, only to
find that we have been tricked and
betrayed. As Jesus put it, “He who
is a hireling and not a shepherd,
whose own the sheep are not, sees
the wolf coming and leaves the
sheep and flees...” (John 10:12).
What makes the Christ child bom
in the manger such “good news”
unlike our contemporary mes
siahs is that he makes good on
his promise: “I am the good she
pherd; I know my own and my
own know mc...and I lay down my
life for the sheep” (10:14,15). This
is no mere political campaign
promise, certain to be broken as
soon as the votes are counted. It is
a covenant that Christ kept and
still keeps.
So, the image of the good she
pherd is most appropriate at
Christmas. That is why Christians
interpret a familiar Advent test,
Isaiah 40:11 as a fulfillment of the
prophet’s promise; “He will feed
his flock like a shepherd, he will
gather the lambs in his arms...and
gently lead those that are with
young.” In the Gospel of Luke, it
is only to the “shepherds out in the
field, keeping watch over their
flock by night” that the angelic
proclamation is given.
(Based on copyrighted Outlines produced by
the Committee on the Uniform Series and used
by permission. Released by Community & Sub
urban Press.)
c
<3