AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 9, 1991 OPINION Happy Dairy Farms Now is the time for all beautilul dairy farms to come to the aid of their industry. Of course, the dairy farms can’t do much them selves. They need their owners to submit an application for the 1991 Dairy of Distinction program that has just been anounced this week. If ever you could call a milk promotion program grass-roots, this it it. The beauty of local dairy farms is used to remind con sumers where the good beverage of milk originates. And volun teers run the program to keep the cost at a very low level. Judging takes place in the month of May and is based on the roadside appearance of buildings, grounds and surroundings. A local district team of judges visits each farm and uses a score sheet to rate each farm. In the Pennsylvania program, in addition to this team of judges, the sanitarian for the farm’s cooperative or dealer-handler is asked to be part of the judging process. Winners receive a colorful, 18x24-inch Dairy of Distinction sign to be placed at the entrance to the farmstead. In addition, as in past years, an 1 lxl4-inch color portrait of the farm will be given by Lancaster Farming to each winning farm in the Pennsylvania program. Your dairy farm wants to help promote milk. Give it a chance. Send in your application today. Let your beautiful dairy farm show itself off to the milk drinkers of America in this year’s Dairy of Distinction program. Your dairy farm will be glad you did. Farm Calendar Cumberland Co. annual meeung, Huntsdalc Fire Hall, Huntsdalc, 10:45 a.m. Chester Co. Beekeepers Associa tion Bee Short Course, East Bradford Township Building, HE3B9CB3M9CHI Lancaster Co. Sheep and Wool Growers annual meeting, Farm and Home Center, 7:30 p.m. Poultry Management and Health Seminar, Kreider Dairy Farms Restaurant, Manheim, noon. PNA Nursery and Landscape Con ference, Hershey Convention Center, thru Feb. 14. McKean Co. Dairy Nutrition School 11, Port Allegany, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. New York State Vegetable Con ference, Syracuse Sheraton Inn and Convention Center, Liver pool, N.Y., thru Feb. 13. Wayne Co. Farm and Financial Workshop, Extension Office, Honesdale, 8 p.m. Swine production meeting, SUN Area Vo-Tech, New Berlin, 7 p.m. Atlantic Breeders Co-Op, District 11, Delaware State, Felton Fire Hall, 7:30 p.m. Union Co. Com Clinic, Montour- DeLong Fair Building, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Lancaster Co. dairy herd manage- Lancaster Farming Established 1955 Published Every Saturday Ephrata Review Building 1 E Mam St Ephrata, PA 17522 by Lancaster Farming, Inc. A Stmnman EMerprist Robert G Campbell General Manager Everett R Newswanger Managing Editor C*mrl|M IMO fey Lanuthr Family ment meeting, Carl L. Marlin Farm, Ephrata. 12:30 p.m. Lancaster Co. dairy bam meeting, John Z. Weaver Farm, Stevens, 1 p.m. Lancaster Co. dairy bam meeting, S. Clair Wadel Farm, Lancas- PNA Nursery and Landscape Con ference, Hershey Convention Center, thru Feb. 14. New York State Vegetable Con ference, Syracuse Sheraton Inn and Convention Center, Liver pool, N.Y., thru Feb. 13. Lancaster Co. Crops and Soils Day, Farm and Home Center, 8:30 a.m. Elk Co. bee management, exten sion office. York Co. labor resource manage ment multi-county meeting, Adams Co. Extension Office. Adams Co. dairy farm labor resource management meeting, Extension Office. Lebanon Valley National Bank Agri-Seminar, Prescott Fire Hall, 8:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Penn State Nursery Conference, Hershey. Clarion Co. new pesticide study and exam, Clarion Co. Park, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., repeats Feb. 13. Pa. DHIA Southeast District meet ing, Berks Co. Ag Center, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. (Turn to Page A 32) WHAT'S THIS f Dfot '"'"V k NOW IS THE TIME By Jay Irwin - Lancaster County Agricultural Agent To Recognize Lime For Weed Control You have never heard us recommend lime for weed control however, indirectly lime is impor tant to obtain good herbicide weed control. Both research and farm experience has indicated that her bicides are not as effective in sour soil. So, for best control with chemicals, the soil test require ments must be satisfied. Many poor weed control exper iences have been reported on acid soils. A complete soil test will indicate the amount of lime needed. There are many other advantages to crop production in addition to better herbicide action. To Evaluate Dairy Cows It costs about $1,200 to raise a calf to two years of age; that’s cash and non-cash costs. When milk prices fall, profit margins shrink and it takes longer for cows to recover their heifer raising costs, and to make their first nick el of profit in their lifetime. The challenge to dairymen, according to Glenn Shirk, Exten sion Dairy Agent, is to keep their best cows in the herd longer for several reasons. Herd profits will increase. The more lactations you keep a cow, the more calves she’ll have and the fewer replacements you’ll need. That means you’ll have excess heifers, which gives you the opportunity to cull selec tively. With fewer heifers needed, you’ll need less housing and pur chased feeds, and you’ll have more feeds available to feed to your lactating cows where they’ll earn a greater return. To Be Aware Of Milker’s Knee Everyone knows about tennis elbow, but who has ever heard of “Milker’s Knee”? Dairy produc ers may have this form of degenerative arthritis without being aware of it. The condition occurs from the squatting bending and lifting that dairy farmers must do when attaching milkers to cows standing at floor level. This wearing away of cartilage in the joints is most common among dairjT farmers. The first sign is usually pain in the knees. Family and friends may notice that the person is becoming TMATS UNCLB OTIS'S ‘THINGS TO 00TODAY’ LIS 7” bowlegged. Other signs include frequent loss of balance; swelling, locking, stiffening, or giving out of the knees; and a grinding or snapping noise when bending. A knee injury can develop into milker’s knee but people who have never had a knee injury can be affected. Some farmers simply may have inherited this problem, especially if the family has a his tory of arthritis. Dr. Dennis Murphy, Safety Specialist at Penn State, tells us that the most important prevention is to avoid squatting. Instead, kneel on one knee and wear knee pads. If you consult a physician at the first sign of trouble, you can probably keep the conditions from becoming worse. To Keep Small Children Away From Machinery The spring cropping season will WHO IS #1? FEBRUARY 10,1991 Background Scripture: Matthew 20:17-28. Devotional Reading; John 13:12-17 We live in a world where being "number one” is extremely im portant. That is how success is measured. As we climb the ladder of our vocation or avocation, we become more successful at least as society reckons it. As Jesus reckons it, however, success may have nothing at all to do with society’s measurements. As in al most everything else, the teach ings of Jesus about being “number one” are radically different from what the world teaches us. Once again, we Christians are somewhat schizoid on this score. We embrace Jesus’ teachings on this matter, but we generally run our churches by the world’s stand ards. Who is successful in the church? The clergyman who pas tors the largest church or becomes bishop. The layman who wields the most influence and holds the highest positions of lay power. I have no aspirations of ever be ing a bishop. Nevertheless, if to morrow I were informed that I had just been elected bishop, I would certainly feel successful beyond my greatest expectations. The same would be true if I were offer ed “the largest pulpit in Method ism.” That would be success, wouldn’t it? LORDING IT OVER That standard of success has been with us a long time. It was this standard that led the mother of James and John of Zebedee to ask Jesus. “Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom” (Matthew 20:21). What ifiother wouldn’t want that I • •/ -0 Ch I -MILK COWS 1' ■ • TAKE NAP ■ • FEED CHICKENS I PL ■ ‘TAKENAP I I ■/ vT -