AIQ-Uncaster Farming, Saturday, March 22, 1997
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OPINION
Stewards Of Life
Year-in, year-out, fanners are constantly reminded that they are
stewards of the land.
Sometimes it’s difficult to listen to that statement.
Sometimes it’s irritating, especially when it’s being shouted, or
used tauntingly, or sarcastically, by those whose goal is to force
their agenda upon fanners.
There are times when the whole of the world seems to be putting
responsibility for the condition of the environment upon the
farmer finger-wagging, and repeating, “You are the stewards
of the land!”
Then, along comes spring.
Spring reminds us that it is not just the land to which the living
are bound to provide stewardship.
The living are bound to be the stewards of life.
That is the covenant: living beings must make a good environ
ment for living beings yet to come.
And this is true for all, not just the farmers.
Spring also helps renew the basic understanding that life exists
at the interface of air, water, soil and sun.
Science has broken each of these “elements” down into sub
groups and sub-elements, but in the world in which we live, under
standing where life occurs is as simple as knowing that it requires
those basic things all at the same time, and at the same place.
It was made that way. Science attempts to understand it.
Spring is when the grasses, trees and shrubs of the mountains
and bottomlands blush in pastels of pink, green and white buds;
when the hue and texture of the fields and cover crops change to a
darker fuzzier green; when the sheep lamb, and cows freshen;
when the aquatic plants in healthy streams begin to regrow and
waterfowl and other birds nest.
Most of this can readily be seen on farms.
But look elsewhere. Who are the stewards?
And who is to take responsibility for creating places where life
cannot exist or is imperiled the farmer who can consider him
self a “steward of life?”
No, the sterilization of parts of the world doesn’t come from
those who are stewards of life.
Rather, it comes from those consumed with the desire to be pow
erful among men; those who want to possess the time, interest and
possessions of other men; and those ignorant enough to believe that
cooperation and complacency with the greedy will provide fulfill
ment, happiness or health.
Though not a reason to acquiesce to the desires of greed or sloth,
there can be great comfort is knowing that every man-made sterili
ty on Earth can never stand forever, or even long, against the life
making works of God.
There is no time better than spring to use the senses we were
given to listen to it, see it, speak it... and help it along, if we can.
New York Pasture Association
Statewide Annual Meeting,
Grazing Conference and Trade
Show. Holiday Inn, Waterloo,
NY. 9 a.m.
Chesapeake Llama and Alpaca
Expo, Davidsonville, Mary
land, thru March 23.
Berks County Holstein Tour
leaves Fleetwood Grange Hall
7:15 aan. and Bethel Public
Library 8 ajn.
Pa. Young Farmers meeting to
host 1995 National Young Far
mers Education Institute, Her
shey Lodge and Convention
Center, 5 pjn.
Castern National Livestock Show
Fund-raiser Barbecue and Auc
tion, Carroll County Agricul
tural Center, Westminster, Md„
12:30 pjn.
Maryland Dept, of Agriculture
Open House, SO Harry S. Tru
man Parkway, Annapolis. 9
ajn.-3 p.m.
£°ewim
roll County Extension Office.
Annual Meeting. Memorii
Park, Martinsburg. 7:15 p.m.
Managing Feed Cattk Workshops.
Frederick County Extension
.Jty gricuuu.
Allentown, 7:30 p.m.
Cot Flower Production and Mark
eting, Western Maryland
Research and Education Cen
ter. Reedysville, Maryland, 8
ajn.-4 pjn.
Eastern Cattlemen’s Symposium,
Weaver’s Market, Adamstown,
8 am.
Chrittmat Twc Meeting, H«un
To Prevent
Electrical Fires
Recently a high rise cage laying
house experienced extensive dam
age as a result of an electrical fire.
Fortunately, only a few laying
hens were killed.
The cause of the fire was an
arching connection between the
back of a circuit breaker and the
main buss bar in the electrical
panel.
The resulting heat melted
through the back of the electrical
panel and ignited the frame of the
building. The bad connection was
a result of condensation inside the
panel caused by cold air being
drawn into the warm panel through
the pipes leading to the attic. The
moisture also corroded the breaker
so it could not trip.
If you are experiencing sweat
ing inside or around your electrical
boxes you may be the next fire.
Contact your electrician to remedy
the problem either by sealing the
pipes leading to unheated areas or
by rerouting wires.
Remember, electricity and
moisture do not mix. It is just a
matter of time until something
goes wrong.
To Follow Steps
To Higher Crop Yields
According to Robot Anderson,
Lancaster County Extension agro
nomy agent, regardless of what
crop you grow, there are several
basic practices that, if followed,
will increase yields.
First, know your soil type and
match crops to the soils.
Drainage, fertility, acidity are
only a few of the soil characteris
tics which must be matched to the
crop being grown.
Second, use quality seeds horn
high performing varieties based on
comparison trails.
Third, plant sufficient seeds to
have optimum plant population.
Limiting the number of plants
will limit yields. However, too
many plants will also reduce
yields.
Knowing the optimum plant
population for the variety you are
planting and the soil type you have
will help make the decision easier.
Fourth, tend to soil fertility
needs. Adequate levels of lime and
fertilizer are needed to meet crop
needs. Use a soil test to determine
these levels.
Service Building. Franklin
Farm Lane, Chambersburg, 7
p.m.-10 p.m.
Pa. Young Fanners Association
Leadership Workshop, Embers
Conference Center. Carlisle,
State, thru March 27.
Eastern Cattlemen's Symposium,
Susquehanna Valley Country
(hmnnjpAZi)
And fifth, control pests. Weeds,
insects and diseases all reduce
yields when present in high
numbers.
It is important to monitor fields
and treat the problem when an eco
nomic threshold is met
To Plan For
Forage Quality
Quality forages are important in
the radon of high producing cows,
according to Glenn Shirk, Lancas
ter County Extension dairy agent
Forage quality starts with select
ing crops that fit into the feed prog
ram. You need to be selecting
hybrids and varieties with high
nutrient content and that ate highly
digestible.
Com silage hybrids should be
selected for uniform ear and stalk
dry down. This may be less crucial
if com is rolled at harvest time to
improve the digestibility of over
mature hard kernels.
In choosing hybrids for
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BUSY BODIES OR
BUSYBODIES?
March 23, 1997
Background Scripture:
2 Thcssalonians 3
Devotional Reading:
Ephesians 4:25-32
There was a problem in the
Church at Thessalonika that is
hard for us to understand today.
In his second letter, Paul says.
“Now we command you, brethren,
in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that you keep away from
any brother who is living in idle
ness and not in accord with the
tradition that you received from
us. For you ourselves know how
you ought to imitate us; we were
not idle when we were with you,
we did not eay any one’s bread
without paying, that with toil and
labor we worked night and day,
that we might not burden any of
you” (3:6-8).
Actually, this was not a new
problem for the Thcssalonians; in
Paul’s first letter (IThess. 5:14),
Paul asked the church to admonish
the idlers. Now, in the name of
Christ he is commanding them to
keep away from these people. One
wonders why Paul has changed or
added to his original command.
I must confess that I find 1
Thess. 3 confusing and troubling.
Paul's advice seems contradic
tory. On the other hand, they shall
shun idlers (3:6,14), but “Do not
look on him as an enemy, but
warn him as a brother” (3:15). I
would like Paul to explain how
one shuns a brother. Admonish
ment I understand; shunning I do
not. Growing up in the Pennsylva
nia Dutch (German) country of
Pennsylvania, I observed “shun
ning” of “erring” members by
tome denominations of “plain
people.” It always seemed an
unchristian means to a desired
Christian end.
Most of the congregational
problems of which I have read in
the New Testament, I have also
found to have parallels in congre
gational life today. But not this
one: idleness, an unwillingness to
work and earn a living.
MERE BUSYBODIES
But, as Paul carries this one step
further, I find a problem I have
encountered and not infrequently;
"Par pe hear that some of you are
improved digestibility, fanners
may have to make a trade-off
between lower yields, reduced
standability and lower resistance
to diseases and insects with a pos
sible increase in mold invasion.
If silage harvest takes place ova
an extended period of time or if
custom harvesting schedules are
unpredictable, consider selecting
hybrids of varying maturities.
Also, consider varying the
planting dates to provide a wider
window of time and greater flexi
bility for harvesting.
Another option is to increase
plant population in an effort to
improve tonnage and digestibility.
Unfortunately, there is not a lot
of research that has been done in
these areas. Thus, farmers are
advised to discuss these concerns
with their seed representatives.
Feather Prof.’s Footnote: "Every
obstacle is a stepping stone to your
success."
living in idleness, mere busybo
dies, not doing any work” (3:11).
Lazy parishioners I have never
known; busybodies, yes.
It has bear suggested by some
scholars that the reason for the
idleness of some Thessalonian
Christians may have been their
expectation that the return of
Christ in glory was immanent
Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians
seem to corroborate this expecta
tion. Assuming that Christ was
coming soon, they may have
decided there was little point in
pursuing their vocations.
BUSY ABOUT WHAT?
Although we will never know
why these Thessalonians were
idle, we can see very clearly what
the effect was: some of them
became busybodies. Instead of
tending their own business
their own growth in discipleship
they tended the business of
everyone else. Is that a seriolf
sin? Paul seemed to think so. It is
one thing to be concerned about
other people, but something else
to insinuate ourselves uninvited
into their lives. It is like those
whom Jesus admonished: “You
hypocrite, first take the log out of
your own eye. and then you will
see clearly to take the speck out of
your brother’s eye” (Matt 7:5).
Actually, these “idle” Thessalo
nians were not really idle; they
were quite busy attempting to
tell others how to lead their lives.
If they had used the same amount
of energy in helping others instead
of judging them for that is what
this is all about: judging Christian
brothers and sisters the work of
the gospel would be greatly
enhanced.
That has always been my obser
vation, too. If, in the church, we
spent our time and efforts in help
ing others instead of judging them
and trying to get them to do what
we want, how much better the life
of the church would be. This
doesn’t mean that we should not
be concerned about the speck in
our neighbor’s eye, but that we
should lint deal with the log in
our own.
The Lord needs busy bodies,
but not busybodies.
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephraim Review Building
1 E. Main St.
Ephrata, PA 17532
“by-
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A Stelnman Enterprise
RobwtaCmpMl Gamral Mmgar
Ewratt R. Nmnmngw Managing Editor
*T I •nrmtrr Fumi*