AlO-Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, September 21, 1991
OPINION
Save A Life
Add silo gas and silo fires to a list of calamities likely to com
pound livestock fanners ’ troubles in a drought year like we have
now. Such occurrences are likely throughout our circulation
area.
Public health spokespersons, along with farm safety special
ists for the Cooperative Extension Service at land-grant Univer
sities, agree that extra precautions should be taken to avoid
human tragedies.
According to Stephanie Leonard from the Institute of Agri
cultural Medicine and Occupational Health at the University of
lowa, several kinds of nitrous fumes, or silo gas, can be formed
in silos during early stages of the ensiling process. All have a
disagreeable odor.
Their colors range from red through orange to dark brown.
Since they are heavier than air, they drop to the ground or roll
along the floor like water and settle in low spots. Adjacent feed
rooms and stable areas in bams can become death traps.
Thomas Bean, Ohio State, says farmers should be particularly
careful about silo gas in a drought year. Livestock are as much in
danger as the farm family. Dead flies, rodents, cats or birds in
the silo or surrounding area should be taken as danger signs.
Silo fires, unlike hay bale fires, result when the moisture con
tent is low. Air leaking into the silo helps fuel the fire. If the for
age is too dry, heat cannot be dissipated fast enough, and the
internal temperature rises until spontaneous combustion occurs.
This process is called pyrolysis.
David Baker, farm safety specialist at the University of Mis
souri, says that as pyrolysis continues, oxygen within the silage
feeds the smoldering lire. If the surrounding silage cannot sup
port combustion, the fire may die, leaving a charred cavity.
More frequently, the fire will spread slowly until it reaches the
surface by burning through combustible materials.
It’s important that you make sure the material put into the silo
has enough moisture for the ensiling process. And whenever
you work around the silo, run the forage blower for a while
before entering the silo area. The life you save may be a family
member’s.
Farm Calendar
Pennsylvania Dairy Princess
Pageant, Penn Harris Conven
tion Center, Camp Hill, recep
tion 5:30 p.m.; dinner 6:30
p.m.; pageant 8 p.m.
Small Beef Herd Workshop,
UNILEC Building, Dußois,
9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Bloomsburg Fair, Bloomsburg,
Columbia Co., thru Sept. 28.
Taste the Harvest, First Philadel
phia Troop Armory, Phila., 10
a.m.-5 p.m.
Woodlot Management Seminar,
Tioga Co., 9 a.m .-noon.
Annual Dorset Sheep Club Field
Day, Perry Farm, Whitehouse
Mercer Co. Holstein picnic, Dale
K F r Sand’ Lakr
Farm Show Complex, Harris
burg, thru Sept. 26.
Lancaster Farming
Established 19SS
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
C*pyrlfM IMI by UmcMtor Firming
Pa. Junior Dairy Show,
Ephrata Fair, Ephrata, thru Sept
Morrison Cove Community Fair,
Northeast United Egg Producers
Trade Show, Host Conference
Center, Lancaster, thru Sept
26.
Estimating and Bidding work
shops, Penn State Great Valley,
Malvern, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Eastern National Holstein Sale,
Farm Show Building, Harris
burg, 7 p.m.
West Lampeter Community Fair,
Trade Show. Host Conference
Center, Lancaster.
N.E. 4-H Leader’s Forum, Her-
shey, thru Sept 29.
Tri-Valley Community Fair,
Hegins, thru Sept. 29.
To Pick Up
Farm Show
Premium List
The “1992 Pennsylvania State
Farm Show Premium List” is now
available at Pennsylvania county
cooperative extension offices.
If you are planning to exhibit at
Farm Show, you need to pick up
your premium list right away.
There have been several
changes for the 1992 show. First,
Farm Forum
Editor:
Sorry to be so late with a thank
you to you and your staff for our
Dairy of Distinction Award. We
are busy getting our farm ready for
a county tour stop and there just
aren’t enough hours in the day.
We are deeply honored to have
been chosen for this award. We
appreciate the coverage you have
given us, the reception at Ag Prog
ress Days and especially the pic
ture. It is beautiful and something
we will always treasure.
Thanks again - we will continue
to strive to keep our farm looking
as good as possible.
Harold, Marlyn,
Elaine and Troy Hill
Sandy Lake
Wood Industry Workshop,
“Marketing and Salesman
ship,” Towanda Extension
Office, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Landscape Maintenance Estimat
ing and Bidding Workshop,
Penn State Great Valley, 9
a.m.-4 p.m.
Penn State Crop Expo ’9l, John
Shearer Farm, York Co.
Eastern National Livestock Show,
Maryland State Fairgrounds,
Timonium, Md„ thru Oct 1.
Chester-Delaware Co. Fanners’
Association annual fall ban
quet Upper Octoraro Presbyte
rian Church, Paikesburg.
York Co. Crop Demonstration
Tour, 4-H Center, Bair Station,
1 p.m.
Balancing Industrial Development
and Wetlands Protection, Kell
er Conference Center, Penn
State. 8 a.m.
(Turn to Page A 35)
the show will run from Saturday,
January 11 to Thursday, January
16, 1992. Second, the scoring for
several classes, especially eggs,
have changed. Third, with the
change in dates, entry deadlines
have changed.
With a lot of closing dates
occurring in early November, you
need to be thinking about making
your entries now. Remember, if
you are showing poultry or lives
tock, certain health rules and
health papers are required. These
take time to process. Read health
requirements now and take the
necessary steps to protect your ani
mal’s health and those of other
exhibitors.
To Inspect
Crop Damage
By Deer
The Pennsylvania Game Com
mission has a program to help
farmers deal with the large deer
population in many areas of the
state.
The Deer “Hotspot” Program,
as it is commonly referred to, will
open those farms with a deer prob
lem for a special hunt.
The Pennsylvania Farmers
Association estimates that deer
destroy $34.6 million worth of
crops on Pennsylvania farms last
year. If you have a problem with
too many deer on your farm, con
tact the Pennsylvania Game Com
mission before October 1 for infor-
| Bi IAWktNU W AUHUUSf
,f masses
WE ALSO ARE
HUMAN!
September 22, 1991
Background Scripture: Acts
14.
Devotional Reading: Romans
5:1-11.
No one could ever say that Paul
and Barnabas were ignored
wherever they went. When they
presented the Good News of Jesus
Christ it appears that people either
were for diem or against them. In
Acts 14, we are told that at Ico
nium Paul and Barnabas spoke
"boldly for the Lord" and they also
performed "signs and wonders"
(14:3). Yet, despite all that, the
writer of Acts reports: "...the peo
ple of the city were divided; some
sided with die Jews, and some
with the aposdes.”
Apparently the opposition
became strong enough threats
to stone them that Paul and
Barnabas fled to Lystra, where it
seems the people are much more
favorably disposed toward them.
One reason; Paul performs a heal
ing on a man who had been
crippled from birth. This dramatic
event unleashes a rush of popular
acclaim, the people of Lystra pro
claiming; "The gods have come
f WELL, WHOEVER MADE DP IhIPCT
\ RULE. WA3 NEVER INVOLVED //V
V A&RI culture
madon about this program.
Feeding cows uncured, heated
silage may reduce dry matter
intake, milk production, and fat
tests.
These problems are harder to
avoid when you are working with
one silo. However, there are some
things that may be done to minim
ize risk.
• Temporarily switch the herd
to a hay feeding program.
• Have a small supply of cured
silage to feed for about a month
while the silo is being filled and the
silage is curing. This may be in the
form of a stack or bag or an extra
silo. If you do not have an oppor
tunity to create a pile before this
year’s main silo filling season for
this year’s use, then consider mak
ing one this year that you may use
next year.
Do not forget to attend the
Northeast Poultry Trade Show,
September 25 and 26, at the Lan
caster Host.
The exhibit hall is open each day
from noon to 5 p.m. Admission to
the exhibit area is free. Come and
see the latest in poultry equipment
and services.
down to us in the like- ness of
men!" (14:11).
TORN GARMENTS!
The people of Lystra are largely
of Greek background, so they
assume that Paul and Barnabas are
two of their Greek deities, Zeus
and Homes. You may wonder
why Paul and Barnabas upon
hearing this, "toe their garments."
sn
This was a traditional Jewish
response to anyone who spoke
blasphemy. Paul and Barnabas
regarded these claims as bla
sphemous and Paul protests:
"Men, why are you doing this? We
also are men, of like nature with
you. and bring you good news,
that you should turn from these
vain things to a living God. . . "
(14:15).
We still have this problem
today. If anyone appears to be spe
cially gifted in Christendom as
a preacher, healer, or evangelist
we tend to put these people
where only God should be in our
lives. These people ought to
remind us, "We, too, are human."
How many people become
estranged from Christianity when
they find their pastor is also a
human being? (Pastors frequently
forget this, too!).
FORGETTING
HUMAN NATURE
In our society, we often demand
that leaders spiritual and other
wise be something more than
human beings. To do is really
quite blasphemous. While it is true
that these people often fail us, we
also fail our Lord in giving these
people the place that belongs sole
ly to him.
To Be Cautious
About Heated,
Uncured Silage
To Attend The
Northeast Poultry
Trade Show