AlO-L«ncMtef Farming, Saturday, January 3, 1998 OPINION See You At The Farm Show With the new year comes the time for snow. At least that’s the thought for those who annually attend the Pennsylvania Farm Show. But even if the weather is frightful, the show will undoub tedly be delightful. This has become one of the most publicized farm events in the East. And while it takes extra effort to show farm animals in January, many livestock exhibitors brave the cold to show their prize animals because of the potential public exposure a champion will receive. In addition to the opportunities for farmers to visit with friends and see the new machinery and services the commercial exhibi tors have to offer, the event has become a major showcase for agriculture to both local consumers and buyers of foreign export able farm commodities. Again, a major event to be held in conjunction with the show will be the special International Celebration to begin even before the show is open to the local public. Gov. Tom Ridge, along with State Ag Secretary Sam Hayes, Jr., plans to be personally involved with helping to show the 200 expected international vis itors the quality and diversity of Pennsylvania agriculture. Since 1917, the Farm Show has been the focus of agriculture in the Keystone State. Over the years iihe emphasis has changed with the changing conditions in agriculture. But always the prog ram and event schedule has been dedicated to promote Pennsyl vania’s number one industry: agriculture. Next Saturday Gov. Ridge is scheduled to officially open the show. And once again all those with an interest in farming will have the opportunity to visit the premier ag show of the year. We hope to see you there. ity Senior Extension Agent, St. John’s United Church of Christ, Grange Hall, 10:20 a.m.-2 p.m. Crop Pest Update, Worthington Fire Hall, 7 pjn.-9 p.m. Sharing A Night With A Legisla tor, Tulpehocken Adult/Young Farmer Educational Session, Tulpehocken High School, 7:30 p.m. Wills and Estate banning, Octora ra Area Young Fanners Associ ation. Octorara High School, Family Time Restaurant, 6:45 p.m. Franklin County Dairy Day, Kauffman’s Community Cen ter, 9:35 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Bucks/Montgomcry County Dairy Day, Family Heritage Restaur- ant, Franconia, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Lancaster County Tobacco Show, Farm and Home Center, judg ing 1 pjn. Meeting on the Deregulation of Electrical Energy, Clarion County Extension Office, 7:30 p.m. Keystone Farm Show, York Fair grounds, thru Jan. 7, Eastern Pa. Turf Conference and Trade Show, Valley Forge Con vention Center, KingofPnissi a. thru Jaa 8. ❖ Farm Calendar*:* \\«.'(liu's(hi>. .laninin 7 Crop Planning Workshop, Hugo’s Restaurant, Brownsville, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Berks County Dairy Day. Berks County Ag Center, Leesport Reproductive meeting, Adams County extension office, 9:30 a.m.-noon. Options Workshop, Lebanon Val ley Ag Center, 7 p.m„ also Jan. 21 Ihursdin, .human S Chester County Dairy Day. Oxford Fire Hall, Oxford. NYS Ag Society Annual Meeting, Four Points Shcraton/ITT, Liverpool. Leola Produce Auction meeting, Bareville Fire Hall, 12:30 p.m.-3 p.m. Clarion County Dairy Manage ment Meeting, extension office, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Kutztown Produce Auction Edu cational Event, Getting The Most Rom the Drive-Through Auction. Kutztown Produce Schuylkill Haven, 9:30 ajn.-2:30 p.m. Basics of Managing A Dairy Farm Business. Lancaster Farm and Home Center, Lancaster. 10 a.m. _ SlKwJFam^h<w Complex, Harrisburg, thru Jan. AroencaaFan^ Convention, Charlotte Conven tion, Charlotte, N.C., thru Jan. With dairy profit margins now being tight, it is time to focus on priorities, according to Glenn Shirk, Lancaster County Exten sion Dairy Agent. One area to fo cus on is cost control. When feed is scarce and you need to purchase more feed, make the best use of your feeds. Sell unprofitable cows and contract heifers out to a good grower in order to reduce feed needs. This will also make more feed available for your best cows. Feed a balanced ration, use good feeding techniques and avoid over feeding a lot of expensive feeds and additives. Take advantage of price breaks, bulk discounts and lower price feed alternatives. To Manage Cow Invest- Glenn Shirk, Lancaster County Extension Dairy Agent, reminds us of the importance of protecting your investment in cows. They are your producing base. Take a good look at your involun tary culling rate, your herd health program, your heifer program and your dry cow program. Take a good look at your management practices. Are you maintaining high production by culling your problems rather than fixing them and preventing the problems in the first place? If so, that is a very, very costly practice. Instead, focus on the areas that set the stage for good herd health, longevity, good production and * fc - v.Jty-V *' ■ %~ Seminar Series, Morrison’s Cove Memorial Park, also Jan. 20 and Feb. 10,10 ajn.-3 p.m. Vegetable Update Meeting. Car roll County Extension Office, Westminster, Md., 9 a.m.-2 p.m. FannProduction Management Workshops, York County Extension, thru Jan. 15. Fundamentals of Soil Science, Neshaminy Manor Center, Doylestown. 7:30 p.m.-9:30 also Ji 21 and 28 and Extension Office, 9 ».m.-3 p jn. Weed Management School, Leba non Valley Ag Center, 9:30 ajn.-3 p.m. Basics of Managing A Dairy Farm Business, Stephen S. Stoltzfus Farm, New Midland, also Jan. To Focus On Priorities men! . meeting. Restaurant 7 n.m (Turn to P«g« *27) conception. Develop and implement pro grams for good health, good cow comfort, good nutrition, good ge netics and for good management of heifers and dry cows. To Know The Facts A recent newspaper article re ported on a science fair project that a freshman won first prize. The student wanted to know how gullible people have become as a result of the alarmist ability to re ceive news media attention. In his project, the student urged people to sign a petition demanding strict control or total elimination of the chemical dihy drogen monoxide. His petition stated that dihy- ; n\v" •"/////■'i" BY LAWRENCE W AITHOUSE ,f myi m THE INHERITANCE January 4, 1998 Background Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-22 Devotional Reading: Hebrews 11: 1-12 I inherited from my parents what remained of their collec tion of old photographs. The last few weeks I have been sorting them out, identifying them and placing them into one or more photo albums along with my own photos that span the years between 1930 and the present. Working with these pho tographs has caused me to rumi nate on my family inheritance. I don't mean a material inheri tance-money, property, invest ments-but the more lasting kind that can be passed on from gen eration to generation by the force of personal influence. I have concluded that I am heir to a very rich inheritance. Working with these pho tographs has also made me reflective. I look at the photos of me at two months, two years, six, twelve and so on, comparing those images with the man I see every morning when I shave. Is there any continuity between them? Anything left of the youthful idealism and superfi cial confidence? DANGEROUS PHOTOS Old photographs can be dan gerous if they lead us to live in the past. That is truly a sign of old age, although not maturity. Just as the young seem to live only for the future, the elderly appear to live too much in the past. But, no matter how won derful or how disappointing our pasts may have been, the power for living here and now is not to be found in the past. Actually, maturity has noth ing to do with chronological age. The meaning of life is based upon a hope that far transcends any of those upon which I have trusted over the years. As a youth I had great hopes for myself. I wouldn't make the mis takes and commit the sins I saw all around me. I would never be prejudiced or intolerant, never hurtful to others, never negli gent in my responsibilities. The gospel and I (maybe not in that order) would transform the church and save society. Looking back, I can see that none of those hopes were truly realized. On that basis, I should be very disillusioned. But I am drogen monoxide caused excessive sweating and vomiting, is the ma jor component of acid rain, causes severe burns in the gaseous state, accidental inhalation can kill, con tributes to erosion, decreases the effectiveness of automobile brakes and has been found in the tumors of terminal cancer patients. His test group included SO people. Eighty six per cent thought it should be banned and signed the petition. Twelve per cent were undecided. Only one person was able to identify the chemical dihydrogen (two hydro gen) monoxide (one oxygen) as H2O or water. Feather Prof.’s Footnote: "Do not just think about it, do it!" not! For I have found a hope that does not fade with time. 1 Peter 1:3,4 says it more eloquently. "By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ...and to an inheri tance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading..." A LIVING HOPE Everything else in which I have trusted has proven to be perishable, corruptible, and inconstant-myself, others, ide ologies, society, yes even church es. The only "living hope" I have is the inheritance that is offered to all of us: "his great mercy." Everything in this world decays, is destroyed or violated, but our inheritance-salvation through the mercy of God- is "kept in heaven" for us where, us Jesus said, "neither moth nor rust con sumes and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Mt. 7:20). 1 Peter says, "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various tijals, so that the gen uineness of your faith...may redound to praise and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1:7) Our hope is not that we can avoid the failures of the past of the trials of the present, but that there is a salvation awaiting us beyond both past and present. Maybe as youth we do not truly appreciate the good news of salvation because we do not yet realize how truly we need salvation and how impotent everything else is to provide it. In our early years we see salva tion in many directions. It is only in time that we find that each of these, save one, is a blind alley. So, betrayed by so many salvations we can see, we may come to trust in one we cannot: "Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy" (1 Peter 1:8) In the Oxford Annotated Bible there is a footnote: "Inheritance expresses the for ward-looking character of the Christian life; the greater part of the riches is yet to come." That is our inheritance; a "living hope" that the really best-imper ishable, undefiled and unfading is yet to be. Lancaster Farming Established 1955 Published Every Saturday Ephrata Review Building 1 E. Main St Ephrata, PA 17522 -by- Lancaster Farming, Inc. A Stelnman Enterprise Robert a Campbell General Manager Everett R. Newtwenger Managing Editor^ Copyright 199 C by Lancaatar Famine
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers