Aio-Lincister Farming, Saturday, September 28, 1991
OPINION
A Reassuring Presence
In a country awash in fads and technological changes of
every kind that frequently die before they ever are accepted,
there is one constant and reassuring presence in our society.
American agriculture is an industry as old as our country and
one of the most productive in the world. This industry of 20
million piople is more than tradition. It is a key element of our
economy and something we can never take fpr granted. Yet
during these days of anti-farm campaigns, some of us have for
gotten about the importance of agriculture in our daily lives.
We’ve forgotten the average American farmer now produces
food and fiber for 128 other people, both here and overseas.
We’ve forgotten that American agriculture is one of the
world’s largest commercial industries. And, we’ve forgotten
that we spend less than 10 percent, on the average, of our dis
posable income on food, compared with as much as 60 to 70
percent in some other countries.
In short, our society has forgotten that U.S. agriculture is a
gem of productivity, unparalleled for its quality, safety, abun
dance and price.
Sure, agriculture isn’t perfect, but it is working every day to
improve its products and practices. It is continuing to research
products that will provide an even more healthful, safer and
affordable food supply. It is continuing to discover new, envir
onmentally sound production practices. And, it will continue to
feed a population that is growing dramatically every year.
A picture of American agriculture today shows a productive
and stable industry continuing to evolve. A picture of the indus
try 20 years from now Shows agriculture much the same and
better. Given its established and successful track record, should
we have any doubts?
Farm Calendar
Woodlot Management Workshop
For Forest Landowners, Pa.
College of Technology, Earth
Science Center, Montgomery, 9
a.m.-3 p.m.
Eastern National Livestock Show,
Maryland State Fairgrounds,
Maryland State Fairgrounds,
Timonium. Md.. thru Oct. 1.
■'■ ■■II 111 rfc 111 i rm ti » t i
Moiul.n. SipUmlur .Ml
Lancaster Co. Farmers’ Associa
tion annual banquet, Leola
Family Restaurant, 6:45 p.m.
Eastern Milk Producers Coopera
tive Asssociation annual meet
ing, Sheraton U. Inn, Syracuse,
N.Y., 1 p.m.-4:30p.m.; banquet
at Goldstein Auditorium, Syra
cuse U. Student Center. Syra
cuse. 6:30 p.m.
No-till meeting, Sheraton Jetport,
Allentown, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Lebanon Co. Extension annual
meeting, Schaefferstown Fire
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
1 E. Main St.
Ephrata, PA 17522
by
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A Sleinrrmn Enterprise
Robert G. Campbell General Manager
Everett R Newswanger Managing Editor
Copyright IMI by Lancia tor Farming
—nr—
'
Holland, thru Oct. S.
No-till meeting. Harbor Inn, Phil
ipsburg, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Susquehanna River Basin meet
ing, Pa. Game Commission
Headquarters, Elmerton Ave.,
Keystone International Livestock
Show, Harrisburg, thru OcL 7.
No-till meeting. Days Inn Confer
ence Center, Butler, 9 a.m.-3:30
Keystone International Livestock
Keystone International Livestock
Show. Harrisburg, thru OcL 7
Herdir Dog Clasr'' Mifflin Cr
Show, Harrisburg.
Manheim Community Farm
Show, Manheim, thru Oct 11.
Hdlidaysburg Community Fair,
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To Learn About
Constructed Wetlands
On Tuesday, October 8, Dr.
Donald Hammer of the Tennessee
Valley Authority will be discuss-
Western Pa., thru Oct 9.
Pa. Holstein Association member-
ship activities committee meet
ing. State College, 10:30 a.m.
Production concerns swine meet-
ing, Country Table Restaurant
Mount Joy, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
“Ways To Grow” Satellite Con
ference, Red Schoolhouse,
Honesdale, 2 p.m.-4 p.m.
Nursery Educational Bus Jour,
Lancaster Farmland Trust Preserv
ing Land Conference, Millers
ville University, Gordinier
Conference Centra - , 8 a.m.-6
p.m.
Nursery Educational Bus Tour,
Indiana Co,
Tlmrsdin. Oclolht 10
National 4-11 Week
Unionville Community Fair,
Unionville, thru Oct 12.
1991 Annual Fall Conference for
Bovine Practitioners, Holiday
Inn, Frederick, Md., thru Oct
11.
Pa. Council of Cooperatives annu
al meeting, Days Inn Penn
State, State College, thru Oct.
11.
Pa. Holstein Association youth
committee meeting. Pa. Hols
tein Office, State College,
10:30 ajn.
Hal F. Doran retirement recogni
tion, Days Inn Penn State, State
College, reception 5:30 p.m„
dinner 6:15 pjn.
PEMA luncheon meeting, Olde
Eastern Pa. 4-H Beef Lamb Show
and Sale, Allentown Fair
grounds, show 2:30 pan., sale
Oct 12. 10 a.m.
(Turn to Pag* Al 9)
ing constructed wetlands as a
method to dispose of animal
wastes. The meeting will begin at
7:30 p.m. in the basement meeting
room of the Farm and Home Cen
ter in Lancaster.
Constructed wetlands are
designed and built similar to natur
al wetlands to treat wastewater.
They consist of a shallow depress
ion in the ground with a level bot
tom. The flow is controlled in con
structed wetlands so the water is
spread evenly among the wetland
plants. Controlling the flow allows
natural processes to occur and
clean the wastewater more effi
ciently. Constructed wetlands may
be an alternative for farmers with
lagoons.
Hammer is one of the world’s
leading authorities on constructed
wetlands. He has conducted a lot
of research in this area and has
written and lectured extensively on
the subject. Plan now to attend this
important meeting on a possible
alternative for handling livestock
wastewater.
To Consider
Hospital Pen Management
Chester Hughes, extension
livestock agent, reminds us the
hospital area of your feedlot may
be as important to cattle recovery
as your diagnosis and treatment
program.
A good hospital facility should
provide shelter and convenient
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GOOD TO THE
HOLY SPIRIT
Background Scripture: Acts
15:1-35.
Devotional Reading: Galatians
5:25-6:10.
Because Paul fails to mention
the Jerusalem conference in his
epistles, there are those who ques
tion if it ever occurred. That ques
tion is beyond my competence,
but I can say that if it took place
along the lines Luke describes,
this even could well serve as a
model for handling conflicts in the
church.
There was a time when I
thought that there should be no
conflicts in the church. I have
come to realize that that is unrea
listic. As we reminded ourselves
in our examination of Acts 14, we
are all human beings, not gods,
nor God. So long as we are human
we will sin and there will be con
flicts among us.
HANDLING CONFLICTS
The key, then, is not whether
there will be conflicts in the
church, but whether we are Christ
ian enough to resolve those con
flicts when they occur. Christians
will stumble arid fall, but they will
. *
* * -
access to feed and water. The pens
should be uncrowed and easily
access .c. from the treatment
chute. Proper sanitation of treat
ment equipment, pens, water
troughs, feed bunks, and hay racks
will prevent unnecessary infection
and give your cattle a better chance
of recovery.
By penning according to disease
problems and cleaning waterers
daily, you reduce the likelihood of
creating additional infection.
Cattle in your hospital facility
should receive good quality hay
free choice and a nutrient and ener
gy dense feed ration.
To Keep Cows Bred
One of the key areas of profita
bility in livestock is having ani
mals bred at the right time. Each
month an animal is open is costing
you income in the future. This is
especially true for dairy cows.
It is estimated each missed heat
period will cost the dairy farmer
about $lOO. You should be focus
ing on getting cows bred. Feed
cows properly to keep them in
good flesh. Keep cows healthy and
free of uterine infections. Maintain
heat expectancy charts and
observe heat diligently.
Use proper inseminating tech
niques and check cows for pre
gnancy. Taking time each day to
manage your breeding program
will help you increase your
income.
also get up and walk again. Unfor
tunately, in too many churches,
people forget to get up after they
have fallen.
Although the conflict that con
cerned Antioch is not something
that would concern us today, we
can understand why it was so trou
bling to them. Did Gentile con
verts first have to become Jews?
There were Jewish Christians
from Judea who woe coming to
Antioch and telling the converts
that this was essential.
They could have had a real
knock-down, drag-out battle over
this, splitting the church between
two groups who decide to go their
own way. That's what happens so
often today. A large church in our
neighborhood recently lost 2,000
members over such a dispute.
LISTENING CAREFULLY
But note how the people of
Antioch and the leaders in Jeru
salem handled this. First, the
church at Antioch sent Paul and
Barnabas to Jerusalem to present
the matter. The leadership listened
carefully to these men: "The apos
tles and the elders woe gathered
together to consider this matter"
(15:6). After prayerful considera
tion, they worked out a comprom
ise. Then they wrote a letter to be
personally delivered to the Anti
och church, saying "For it has
seemed good to the Holy Spirit
and us to lay upon you no greater
burden than these necessary
things..." (15:28).
When Christians can seek first
the Holy Spirit and then com
promise as they did, conflicts can
be healed.
I EVER MIND
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