AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 16, 1991
OPINION
During National FFA Week
Each year FFA Week is held during the week of George
Washington’s birthday to recognize his leadership and commit
ment to American agriculture. This year FFA members all over
the country will promote FFA and agriculture education and the
food and fiber industry this week from February 16 to 23.
FFA is a national organization of 387,042 members in 7,634
local chapters preparing for careers in the science, business and
technology of agriculture. Local, state and national activities
and award programs provide opportunities for students to apply
knowledge and skills acquired through agricultural education.
Agricultural education classes stress hands-on experience in
diverse areas of agriculture.
It is because of this hands-on part of the FFA program that we
believe students arc prepared for life better than in any other part
of the public school system. Not only do students interested in
agriculture benefit from FFA. City students also leam under this
year’s theme: FFA—Leadership for a Growing Planet.
In Pennsylvania the largest FFA chapter is at Saul High
School in the Philadelphia school system within the city limits.
Their students give up personal time early in the morning and
late in the evening to take care of their animal and horticulture
projects. Because of the FFA influence, Saul has become the
school of choice in the city’s public school system and many
more students apply for admission than can be accepted. For
many of these inner city students, the way out of the ghetto is not
through a big league baseball or an NBA basketball contract but
through FFA.
Unfortunately, in some other school districts in the state, the
FFA chapter and the agricultural education program do not
receive the full support from the school administration and the
school board. We believe these school leaders who are less than
enthusiast for FFA and ag education should be given a tour of
the Saul program. Let them talk to the students. Let them talk to
the parents. Let them talk to the graduates, especially those gra
duates who have gone on to Penn State and other institutions of
higher learning.
Let them do it during National FFA Week
Farm Calendar
Saturday, February 16
FFA Week
Mid-Atlantic Herding Stock Dog
Club Herding Clinic,
Monday, Fehruan IS
FFA Week
Atlantic Breeders Co-Op meeting,
Country Table Restaurant, Mt.
Joy, 7 p.m.
Atlantic Breeders Co-Op meeting.
Northern Lancaster #1 West,
Farm and Home Center, 7 p.m.
McKean Co. Dairy Nutrition
School 11, Port Allegany, 9:30
a.m.-3 p.m.
Clarion Co. pesticide update cre
dits, Clarion Co. Park, 7:30
p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Berks Co. Ag Zoning meeting,
Berks Co. Ag Center, Leesport,
7 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Atlantic Breeders Co-Op District 7
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
1 E Main St
Ephrata, PA 17522
by
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A Stoinrmn Entorprli*
Robert G Campbell General Manager
Everett R Newswanger Managing Editor
CspyrtfM 1«t toy Unsastor Fwmtaf
meeting, Huntsdalc Fire Hall,
7:30 p.m.
Atlantic Breeders Co-Op District
15 meeting, Mercer Co. Exten
sion Office, 11:45 a.m.
"New Holland Vegetable Day,
Summit Valley Elementary
School, 9 a.m.
Mercer Co. ADC meeting, exten
sion center, 12 noon.
Crawford Co. farm management
' fo r nth, Courlhr
District 5, Hoffman Building,
Quarryville, 7 p.m.
Atlantic Breeders Co-Op meeting,
District 4, North Lancaster
(Central),' Harvest Drive
Restaurant, 12 noon.
American Dairy Association and
Dairy Council, Inc. 31st annual
meeting, Sheraton Inn, Syra
cuse. N.Y., 9:30 a.m.
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NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County
Agricultural Agent
To Mend Pasture Fences
and Remove Debris
Pastures can provide cattle a lot
of good, nutritious forage, and it’s
a place for them to get fresh air,
exercise and sunlight. Before too
long, we will be turning our cattle
out to pasture, but let’s not turn
them out too soon. It’s best to let
the sod develop and the ground
firm up. Spend the time now to fix
fences and pick up trash and
debris before the grass grows too
tall and before you’re tied down
with spring field work.
It might also be helpful to sec
tion off the pasture in order to
make best use of the grass. Tor
example, wet areas and flat areas
may be fenced off from other
areas. This will enable you to keep
cows out of wet areas until the
ground firms up, and could help
prevent the development of foot
problems. During the early spring
flush of pasture growth, you could
keep cattle out of the flat area;
save it for hay, and feed it to cows
later in the summer.
To Store
Supplies Safely
Many farmers have purchased
and accepted early deliveries of
seeds, fertilizer and other supplies.
Proper storage of these items is
important. I have seen bags of fer
tilizer stored too close to a bam
door, or to an open window; the
same with farm seeds. Extra mois
ture on these materials, or under
them on a damp floor, can cause
problems. Also, it is very impor
tant to keep seeds away from
chemical weed killers. These her
bicides may reduce, or kill the ger
mination of the seeds. Also, child
ren, pets and livestock should not
have access to stored seeds or
farm chemicals. All of these
materials become more expensive
each year. It’s only good manage
ment to store them carefully.
To Be Aware Of
Alkaline Water For Pesticides
If your water is alkaline, espe
cially if the pH is 8 or greater, you
Berks Co. Dairy Day, Ag Center,
9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
York Co. com* herbicide meeting,
extension office, 7:30
p.m.-8:30 p.m.
(Turn to Pag* A 32)
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may have trouble getting good
results from the pesticide spray
material you are using on crop
land. Water supplies in many
areas have sufficient natural alka
linity to cause a “breakdown” of
certain pesticides.
This means pest control may be
somewhat less than desirable, or
even non-existent because the
ingredient will be rendered inac
tive before it even reaches the
plant or pest. If the spray is allow
ed to stand several hours before
spraying, as much as 50 percent or
more of the active ingredient may
be decomposed.
Pesticide specialists tell us that
a pH in the range of 4 to 6 is
recommended for most pesticide
sprays. You can adjust spray solu
tions to this range by buffering
agents. In general, the insecticides
are affected more severely by alk-
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083031L1S
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PAUL ON
MARRIAGE
February 17, 1991
Background Scripture: I Cor
inthians 7:1-40.
Devotional Reading: Genesis
2:18-24.
If you are going to read I Cor
inthians 7, the place to start is with
verses 26, 29 and 31. In fact, it is
absolutely essential. Here’s why:
“I think that in view of the
impending distress...” (26)
“... the appointed time has
grown very short...” (29)
“For the form of this world is
passing away” (31)
In order to understand what
Paul is saying about marriage and
other relationships in I Corint
hians 7, we must first realize that
Paul’s opinions arc based on his
conviction that the second coming
of Christ was imminent. Other
wise, I Corinthians 7 sounds like a
Biblical denigration of marriage.
Paul is not really concerned with
either marriage or celibacy; what
he is concerned with is the Par
ousia, the return of Christ and the
Kingdom of God.
THE PAROUSIA DELAYED
Paul assumes that the Christians
of Corinth are no less certain of
Christ’s imminent return, so he
begins Chapter 7 with the assump
tion that what he is saying about
sex and marriage will be under
stood to be an interim teaching -
what to do between now and the
date when the Parousia begins.
Then » during that brief time of
waiting -- and only then does this
teaching apply: not before, not
after. In 7:20, he says: “Everyone
should remain in the state in which
he was called” and again in 7:26,
“In view of the impending distress
it is well for a person to remain as
he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do
not seek to be free. Are you free
from a wife? Do not seek mar
Sir?'
aline water than fungicides o
herbici3fes.
To Prepare For
Dormant Sprays
Many types of trees are infested
with various kinds of s'' '•* insects
These pests attach thci .selves to
the bark and twigs and shrubs and
suck the strength from the plant
One of the best treatments is to
apply a dormant spray oil before
the buds start to open. The date ol
the spray will vary with the weath
er. However, on many fruit trees
and shrubbery this will be late
February and early March. The
spray should be applied before the
buds open. In addition, a spray
during May or June while the
insect is in the crawler stage is
strongly suggested; materials for
this spray can be Imidan, Sevin or
Malathion. Scale insects should be
controlled - the way is to use a
dormant spray.
riage.” Why: so that both married
and unmarried may by optimally
ready for the return of Christ.
Of course, Paul’s expectation
was in error. The Parousia did not
come soon, or even in Paul’s life
time. In fact, it still hasn’t arrived
to this very day. So Paul’s teach
ing about “slay as you are” is no
more applicable to us than it was
to the Corinthian Christians.
Furthermore, Paul is very careful
in I Corinthians 7 to say that his
advice is not binding as Christian
truth per se. “I say this by way of
concession, not of command”
(7:6). At another point he speci
fies, “...I say, not the Lord...”
(7:12). And: “Now concerning the
unmarried, I have no command of
the Lord, but I give my opinion...”
(7:25). Once more: “But in my
judgment...” (7:40).
BETTER TO MARRY
Paul was wrong, not only about
the Parousia, but, I believe, about
the purpose and value of marriage.
Genesis says, “It is not good that
the man should be alone.” Paul
doesn’t seem to agree. His view is
that of a celibate bachelor. It is
obvious that he thinks of marriage
strictly as a means of sanctifying
the sexual relationship; “For it is
belter to marry than to be aflame
with passion” (7:9). I’m sorry that
Paul seems not to know anylhimr
about the other blessings of mar
riage: friendship, companionship,
mutual sharing and support.
Paul’s purpose was not to lay
down rigid rules, but to help peo
ple to be as well prepared as possi
ble for the Parousia. Having said
that married and unmarried should
remain as they are, he says never
theless, “But if you marry, you do
not sin” (7:28). His advice to
slaves is similar. “Were you a
slave when called? Never mind”
(7:21). But he modified this with:
“If you can gain your freedom,
avail yourself of the opportunity.”
Paul’s purpose then is pastoral:
“1 say this for your own benefit,
not to lay any restraint upon you,
but to promote good order and to
secure your undivided devotion to
the Lord” (7:35). Even if we don’t
accept his conclusions, we can
appreciate his loving pastoral
concern.
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