AlO-Laticaster Farming. Saturday, October 9,1993 ifliwwwß&SwjaM OPINION Recognize 4-H Volunteers are the backbone of Extension and the 4-H Prog ram. They helped create Cooperative Extension in the early 1900’s and continue to guide its growth and development as well as multiply Extension’s budget many times. Across the nation, volunteers play an active part in program direction, implementation and evaluation. Some of the more specific titles which identify their roles are: 4-H leader. Extension homemaker, and master volunteer. Others work on committees or projects without titles. Some are from community organiza tions which seek Extension assistance. 4-H leaders teach youth life skills so necessary for a young person’s growth knd development. Using “hands-on” tech niques, over half a million well-trained volunteers in the U.S. help make 4-H one of the most cost-effective publicly sup ported programs of the 1990’5. Master volunteers help to organize 4-H clubs, train 4-H leaders and homemakers. Exten sion Homemakers groups support 4-H and Extension in fund raising and creating awareness of the programs that Extension has to offer. Volunteer committees such as the 4-H Cabinet, 4-H Leadership Development, 4-H Foundation and Extension Executive Board help to guide and plan as well as raise funds for Extension programs for youth members and teen and adult volunteers. In one year. Cooperative Extension agents work with about 2.9 million volunteers nationwide who, in turn, work with about 48 million other adults and youth, resulting in multiple benefits to clientele, volunteers and communities. Did you know that 50% of 4-H leaders were former 4-H members? But why do volunteers volunteer? Most recognize a number of ways in which their work is of benefit to others in the com munity, such as improvements in the well being, knowledge, skills, and health and safety of others. Some also realize many personal benefits from their woik, such as improved know ledge, skills, feelings of satisfaction in helping others, watching young people grow into mature adults, and improved family relationships. The human touch remains essential in helping people con tinue their educations and putting university-based information to work in their own lives. This week, October 3-9, is National 4-H Week. We celebrate the week by applauding die 4-H vol unteers everywhere who make 4-H happen. It would be a good time for you to volunteer to help your local 4-H program. A call to your county extension office will get you started. Farm Calendar /^/ S;iliii(la\, (Ulolht '> National 4-H Wei'k Pa. Junior Holstein Executive Committee meeting. State Office, State College, 10:30 a.m. Schuylkill Co. Fall Festival and Crafts Show, Schuylkill Co. Mond.n . ()i Inlici 11 ( dliimluis I);«\ Poultry Management and Health Seminar, Kreider’s Restaurant, Delmarva Poultry Industry annual meeting, Delmarva Convention Center, Delmar, Md. Dillsburg Community Fair, Dills burg, thru Oct 16. Successful Retirement Seminar, Walgreen’s Lehigh Valley Dis tribution Center, Bethlehem, 7 Pay Va. Turkey Day, Mechanics burg Holiday Inn. Mechanicsburg. Flower Crowns Day at Penn State, Keller Conference Cen ter, 9 a.m!-5 p.m. Berks Co. 4-H Market Steer Show and Sale, Leesport Farmer’s Market, show 9 a.m., sale 4 Carbon Co. 4-H Leaders Banquet, cooperative extension office. Jim Thorpe, 6:30 p.m. PSU Professional Landscape Man agement Program. Focus On Diseases of Ornamentals, Farm and Home Center, Lancaster, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., continues OcL 21 and 28. A Stream Evening at the Stroud Center, Stroud Water Research Center. Avondale, 4:30 p.m. ADADC District 12 meeting, Sen nett Federated Church, Sennet t. National 4-H Livestock Judging Contest Louisville, Ky.. thru Oct 18. Eastern Pa. 4-H Beef and Lamb Show and Sale, Allentown Fair- lion to benefit Lancaster Farm land Trust Paradise Sales Bam, 11 a.m.-4 pjn. Forest Stewardship Landowner Workshop, Best Western Centre Court Restaurant and Conference Center, Mont- To Control Multiflora Rose Multiflora Rose was introduced in the 1930 s and 1940 s by federal and state agricultural officials as a living fence, wildlife habitat, food source for wildlife, and an erosion control agent While it does per form those functions, it has become a serious weed problem all across the Northeast. Farmers have been attempting to control this weed by cutting, burning, pulling out with equip ment, and applying pesticides. Leon Ressler, extension environ mental agent, reports biological control is a possibility. Research ers at West Virginia University have identified a mite and a virus that have proven effective in con trolling multiflora rose. The virus causes the rose rosette disease and is spread by the erio phyid mite. A five-year research project was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the disease in controlling multiflora rose. At the beginning of the research, 30 percent of the plants showed symptoms of the disease and one percent of the plants had died. At the end of five years, 94 percent of the plants had been infected and 88 percent of the weeds had died. For farmers and others who have land infested with multiflora rose, bio logical control now offers hope for clearing the land of this problem weed. While biological control is not fast, it does allow the landowner to clean up the land without the use of herbicides or costly mechanical clearing operations. To Construct Mud-Free Cow Lanes Cow lanes are the paths used by Tulpehocken Young Fanners Dried Flowers Christmas Tree Demonstration. High School ag classroom, 7:IS p.m.-9 p.m. ADADC District 14 meeting. Spot High School, 1 p.m. Solanco Young Farmers meeting, Silage Com Management. Westmoreland Co. Tested Hay Sale, Westmoreland Fair- grounds, 11 a.m. ADADC District 4 meeting. Sar atoga Co. Extension, Ballston Spa, N.Y., 7:30 p.m. ADADC District 9 meeting, Tally- Ho Restaurant, Richfield Springs. N.Y., 7:45 p.m. ADADC District II meeting. (Turn to Pago A 39) farmers to controlthe movement of cows to and from the bam to the pastures or. between pastures. These paths often cross low lying wet areas or dra inways that cany water runoff during heaving rains. As cows cross these areas, the ground turns to mud. Recent con cerns for herd health and environ mental concerns about the impact of muddy lanes, barnyards, and exercise areas have on water qual ity have caused farmers and envir onmentalists to look at new man agement practices to manage bar nyard runoff, fence slreambanks, and maintain grass sod in exercise lots. Jerry Martin, extension associ ate for the Pequea-Mill Creek pro ject, reports there are several diffe rent approaches farmers have taken to remedy the problems of muddy cow lanes. The first type is modeled after the construction of access roads. In this process, a heavy duty woven geotextile fabr ic is covered with crushed stone. The fabric allows water to filter through while preventing soil from mixing with the stone. The second type utilizes cattle and hog slat seconds to lay on sec tions of cow lanes that are suscep- vi i JI/?. Hr I A'.‘vK( Ni ( W Al 1 HOUbt 'Hi MLI sn THIS OFFER EXPIRES... October 10,1993 Background Scripture: Genesis 17 Devotional Reading: Genesis 17:1-15 Put yourself in Abram’s place. He was 99 years old. His life was virtually over. Despite God’s promise which he had trusted, he still had no son and heir. Then God comes to him and says again, “Behold my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations” (17:4). What would your reaction be? Some people would be angry. Not only had God not kept his prom ise, but now he was heaping furth er insult by reiterating it at a time when it was obviously impossible to keep. Not allowing themselves the reaction of anger, others would hear the promise and conclude that all their faith had been for nothing. HE LAUGHS So what did Abram do? He “fell on his face and laughed” (17:17). Actually, in dealing with God one needs a sense of humor, as God must need one in dealing with us. The sheer absurdity of God’s promise caused Abram to break up. It is wjih amusement that he asks, “Shall a child be bom to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” Come on, God. you’re pulling my leg! Actually, God’s promises to us often seem equally absurd. When we have lost the job in which we’ve spent 30 years, the assur ance that he will see us through this experience begins to seem empty if one after another pros pective employer tells they have no place for us. When it’s obvious that nothing or no one is going to be able to save our marriage, what’s the good of trusting in God? When our doctor tells us our cancer is inoperable, and we’ve