AlO-Lancatter Farming, Saturday, June 1, 1996
OPINION
A Cow Is Still A Cow
A cow is still a cow, not a machine. She has personality and
often a mind of her own. No amount of modem technology has
been able to put her into a factory setting. She eats, chews her cud,
sleeps just over the knoll on the leeward side to protect herself
from the mid-night breezes, and fills her udder with milk two or
three times a day. In fact, she is queen of the dairy farm, and all
her subjects, the dairy men and women who cate for her, must set
their daily schedules around the dairy cow’s whims and wishes.
We admit that over the years a lot of modem equipment and
feeding methods have changed the way things are done on the
dairy farm. But today, as always, the dairy farmer’s job is a
demanding one. He works from before sunrise until well into the
evening. No sick days, no days off, and no sleeping in. The cows
must be milked and fed 365 days a year.
Of course, today’s cow produces the milk that once took 10 or
12 cows to produce. It is not unusual for two -year-old first-calf
heifers to produce 100 pounds of milk per day. And it is good they
do because Americans consumed 588 pounds of dairy products,
per person, in 1995. According to the American Dairy Associa
tion, this accounts for a 10 percent share of total consumer groc
ery spending.
Flavored milk sales grew to more than $6OO million in 1995.
Among the flavors appearing in supermarket dairy cases were:
Blueberry Blast, Bubble Gum, Mocha Cooler, Pina Colada, Cho
colate Irish Cream, Java Malt, Chocolate Peanut Butter and
Banana Split.
Since 1937, the month of June is dedicated to the dairy farmer
and dairy products. From the farmgate to the dairy case, die won
derful world of real dairy products has a lot to celebrate. We join
the millions of dairy enthusiasts in the Northeast and around the
nation as they celebrate nearly 30 years of promoting June Dairy
Month.
Mid-Atlantic Highland Associa
tion sth Annual Highland
Cattle Show, Garrett County
Fairgrounds, in conjunction
with Garrett County McHenry
Highland Festival.
Bradford County dairy princess
pageant. Northeast Elementary
School, Rome, 8:15 p.m.
Huntingdon County dairy princess
pageant, Juniata Valley
Elementary School, Alexandri
a, 8 p.m.
Berks County Wool Pool, Lecs-
Farn’"' Market, Lee*'
Mondin. .1 uni- 3 |
15th Annual Md. 4-H Calf Tourna
ment, Piney Branch Golf and
Country Club, Hampstead.
Jefferson County dairy princess
pageant, Jefferson County Ser-
Workshop, Lebanon County
Extension Office, 9 a.m.-3:30
Frederick County, Md. Pasture
Walk, Holterholm Farms, Ron
and Kathy Holler, Jefferson,
ence, Days Inn Penn' State,
State College. 7 o.m.
Bedford County dairy princess
pageant, N.B.C. High School
(Turn to Page A 34)
Editor,
During the last 25 years dairy
farmers have been attempting to
receive a realistic price for their
milk through “over order pre
miums.”
While the Federal Milk Market
ing Orders may have provided sta
bility to the dairy industry, the
same orders only generate a mini
mum price to dairy farmers and
this price, in most cases does not
cover the average cost of produc
ing milk. Consequently, nearly 80
percent of the dairy farmers in
Federal Order 2 have left the dairy
farms since 1960.
Recognizing the inadequate
prices being paid to dairy farmers,
dairy co-ops and farm organiza
tions have formed various Bar
gaining Agencies to alleviate the
problems of low milk prices paid
to dairy farmers.
The old RCMA, the Empire
Bargaining Agency, the new
RCMA and the Special New York
Order are some of the organiza
To Salute
Dairy Farmers
Everyone knows June Is Dairy
Month. The dairy industry has
done an excellent job of promoting
dairy products during this month.
In today’s modem world where
very few people have any ties to
farms, promotion becomes more
important. The old saying “out of
sight out of mind” applies also
to what we eat and drink.
Without promotion activities
and advertising, people will not
think about eating and drinking our
products. Through creative ideas
that are in touch with the concerns
and issues of today’s society, we
will be able to hold and increase
our market share.
The name of the game is market
share. This week we hold our glass
of milk high and toast all the dairy
farmers for their efforts to promote
their good and nutritious product
If dairy fanners are to survive, they
need to be aggressive in promoting
their products.
June Is Dairy Month should be a
reminder on how important prom
otional activities are.
To Identify
Bur Cucumber
According to Robert Anderson,
extension agronomy agent, bur
cucumber is a major problem weed
on our farms.
Originally found along stream-
tions that made serious attempts
(and sometimes were successful)
to achieve extra money for dairy
farmers. However, because of
several reasons these attempts
have now gone by the wayside.
The Compact
For several years various peo
ple in New England have worked
diligently in developing what is
called the Northeast Interstate
Dairy Compact The Compact has
been passed by the State Legisla
tures in all six New England
States. In early March the Com
pact finally passed the United
States Congress. While Congress
altered some of the time tables of
the Compact the same Congress
agreed to allow the pricing struc
ture to remain intact within the
Compact
However, one must always re
member the Northeast Compact
becomes extremely important be
cause of the failure of the U.S.
(Turn to Page A 23)
banks and other damp and shady
areas, bur cucumber is beginning
to invade upland fields. Bur
cucumber is a summer annual
broadleaf weed that is related to
the garden cucumber. It is charac
terized by pentagon-shaped
leaves, long vines, and spiny seed
clusters.
Individual seeds are flatten,
1/16 inch long and 1/32 inch wide.
The seed is covered with a hard
coat which is responsible for a pro
longed dormancy.
Bur cucumbers germinate from
early May through mid-August.
Mature vines may be 20 feet long.
The vines often make crop harvest
impossible.
To Control
Bur Cucumber
High rates of Atrazine made bur
cucumber control easy. However,
with the restrictions of using two
pounds of Atrazine per acre, con
trol is much more difficult, accord
ing to Robert Anderson, extension
agronomy agent
Control is essential because
severe infestations may destroy
almost the entire com or soybean
crop.
ARE YOU OUT OF SHAPE?
June 2,1996
ARE YOU OUT OF SHAPE?
June 2, 1996
Background Scripture:
1 Timothy 4:6-16
Devotional Reading:
Psalm 37:1-11
When I was a seminary student
some forty years ago, I was graded
on my knowledge of the Bible and
theology, Church history, admi
nistration and education, pastoral
psychology and even preaching—
although in seminary they call it
homiletics.
But I was never evaluated,
graded or classified on “godli
ness,” as the writer of I Timothy
puts it. ‘Train yourself in godli
ness, for while bodily training is of
some value, godliness is of value
in every way, as it holds promise
for the present life and also for the
life to come” (4:7b,8). As far as the
writer of I Timothy is concerned,
godliness is probably the minis
ter’s most important subject—
much more important than theo
logical speculation; “Have nothing
to do with godless and silly myths”
.(4:7a).
Actually, although 1 did rather
well in my seminary studies. I’m
glad I wasn’t graded on godliness.
Can you imagine getting your
report card and finding you failed
it! Although I didn’t think the
study of theology was easy, godli
ness would have been a lot harder.
50 PERCENT!
It still is. I can get,SO percent on
the curriculum in I Timothy, ‘Till I
come, attend to the public reading
of scripture, to preaching, to teach-,
ing” (4:13). Yes, I can handle that
well enough. The writer also says
the “good minister of Christ Jesus”
is nourished on the “words of the
faith and of the good doctrine
which you have followed.” Yes,
I’ve got the words and 1 know the
doctrine. But, what about god
liness?
I’ve looked at my commentaries
to find what the writer meant by
"godliness,” but none of them gave
me a clue. So, I’ve turned to some
varying translations and find the
Research at Penn Slate has con
firmed that non-triazine
preemergence com herbicides do
not effectively control bur cucum
ber. In the 1995 Penn State Weed
Trails, postemergence applica
tions of Beacon and Exceed pro
vided the best control.
Research in Maryland suggests
that Classic would be a good
option for soybeans. Management
of bur cucumber in com and soy
beans requires an effective post
emergence control program that
may include split applications or a
follow-up cultivation.
Harvesting of infested fields as
silage before weed seeds mature
may help prevent the spread of the
weed. A thorough cleaning of
equipment between fields, espe
cially harvesting equipment, will
reduce the spreading of weed seed.
Above all, specialists suggest,
watch for new infestations and
keep them small and isolated.
Attack the small infestations
before they become big problems.
Prevention is the key to manage
ment of bur cucumber problems.
Feather Prof.’s Footnote: "You
cannot get ahead while you are
getting even."
following translations of verse 7b:
Living Bible: “Spend your time
and eneigy in the exercise of keep
ing spiritually fit” New English
Bible: “Keep yourself in training
for the practice of religion.” Phil
lips Bible: ‘Take time and trouble
to keep yourself spiritually fit”
Jerusalem Bible: “Train youiself
spiritually.”
What the writer of I Timothy is
talking about then, is keeping
ourselves in a state of spiritual fit
ness. And I*m still not sure how I
stack up there. I do pretty well in
the physical fitness department
Five days a week my wife and I
walk three miles every morning
and then do a half-hour of aerobic
exercises. In the summertime we
supplement that with water exer
cise as well.
SPIRITUAL AEROBICS
When we travel we marvel at the
great number of people who share
our concern for keeping physically
fit Lou of hotels and most cruise
ships have jogging courses and a
fitness center, often complete with
the latest equipment Hotel mana
gers tell us that, unless they offer
physical fitness facilities and
equipment, they cannot attract the
regular business travelers.
Undoubtedly, physical fitness
has captured the public imagina
tion and I am glad. The physical
being and our health are gifts from
God that we ought not to abuse or
neglect. But, if we could also make
people aware of the need for spir
itual fitness as well, how much bet
ter would this world be! And
Christians must lead the way:
“...set the believers an example in
speech and conduct, in love, in
faith, in purity” (4:12).
So, speaking in terms of spiritu
al fitness, are you in or out of
shape?
The Althouses will lead a group
to the Holy Land, Oct. 9 to Nov. 2,
1996. Space is limited. For infor
mation, write them at 4412 She
nandoah Ave., Dallas, TX 75205.
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephreta Review Building
lE. Main St
Epbrata, PA 17522
—by—
Lancaster Farming. Inc.
A Stekvnan Bnterprist
Retort OLCampM Oanaral Manager
twwtt a Hawing* Managing EdMor
Copyright 1996 by Lancaster Farming