AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 23, 1998
OPINION
Don’t Forget To Write
From the 1980 s through the mid 19905, one common theme has
emanated from the advice of experts representing the entire, broad
field of agriculture expect rapid change.
They were not wrong.
Change has proven to be more than rapid and all-encompassing.
It has proven to be overwhelming.
It’s easy to get lost and get a feeling of being left out and behind,
What the experts forgot to provide was advice on how to handle
all the change.
Keep abreast of change in the news? Forget it.
With so much change and commentary on change, it’s next to
impossible to determine the significance of the change; or if any
thing has changed at all, really.
From the Internet and e-mail conversational ramblings, to orga
nizations with purposefully misleading names getting their politi
cally twisted takes published in otherwise respected sources of
news, to televised “infomercials,” who can sift through it?
While the wide “world” of opinions can be reached more rapidly
and completely with modem technology, it doesn’t mean there is
any more value to those opinions.
Perhaps there is even less value than before, because almost
invisible are the previous standards used to differentiate between
information provided through disciplined research and objective
study, and that merely intended to be persuasive and motivate the
masses to purchase goods, services and ideas.
What many have acknowledged is the need for some sort of
screening device; something to sift through the chaff.
There is no magical solution, but there is something that can
really help a daily or weekly diary.
No, that isn’t a typographical error of the word, “dairy,” though
that error happens frequently enough in all agricultural
publications.
A diary doesn’t have to be some secretive book of inner
thoughts. It only has to be a regular part of the routine, recording
notes of what is important to the diary keeper.
Things that may get recorded could include notes about trees
that had fallen on a fence, a cow showing heat, a sighting of a rac
coon during the day, the temperature, a neighbor helping out or
needing help, the weather, the paint peeling from the eaves, spare
parts purchased on a run into town, a visit from a relative, an ususu
al animal sighting, birthdays, etc.
For a reflective, self-management tool, the daily diary would be
difficult to replace. It could be kept side-by-side with a daily plan
ner, or incorporated.
A diary serves as a reminder of how life really is for the diary
keeper.
Through review of the diary, the keeper can discover the things
that really make a difference, and be able to dispense with the daily
hype of horror in other places, between waring factions, bad
domestic relationships, etc.
This is not head-hiding in the sand. It is recording notes of what
was important that day, without being told later on by someone
else.
A daily diary is healthy, because it builds a personal history from
which true perspective on happiness and values can be remem
bered and assessed.
This is not self-delusionment. It is documenting real life.
Most newspapers were founded as fulfilling a role in serving to
provide a public record of events. That is community history.
A diary contains news to provide a personal record of events.
That is a personal history.
A personal history may be more important to keep now than ever
before, because it can be used to separate the quieter sounds of real
life from the high volume screams for attention by a money hungry,
marketing-mad outside world.
It also provides something else that can be considered essential
to good mental health a healthy perspective.
As every public servant who deals constantly with the negatives
of life (law enforcement agents, children and youth social workers,
prison guards, etc.), too much knowledge of just bad things can get
depressing and pervert perspective, because it can create the illu
sion that all people are bad and evil.
With fewer people knowing their next door neighbor, and more
people being more familiar with the events and ideas of “celebri
ties,” it’s no wonder that perspective can become easily lost.
Amidst a kaleidoscopic, daily whorl of superfluous information,
a diary can be a best friend in finding the way back home.
To Think Safety
Hay harvest is here. The good
quality bumper crop many farm
ers are harvesting this spring
can be overshadowed by a farm
accident.
According to Robert
Anderson, Lancaster County
extension agronomy agent,
many farm accidents are associ
ated with harvesting a crop.
Following a few safety guide
lines should help make the har
vest season a safe and enjoyable
one.
Operate and maintain har
vest equipment as directed in
the owner’s manual. Keep
shields in place during opera
tion. Shut off the power before
unclogging, adjusting, or servic
ing equipment. Adjust ground
speed to field conditions.
Keep children and non work
ers off machinery - no second
riders. Operate elevators and
forage blowers with care. Keep
hands and feet out of the hopper
when the equipment is operat
ing. Check the tires, hitches,
lighting, slow moving vehicle
emblem, and brakes before
starting and keep children away
from all equipment at all times.
To Avoid Hot Hay
Robert Anderson, Lancaster
County extension agronomy
agent, reminds us that baling
hay that is too green could result
in a fire, which could burn down
the hay storage facility. This is a
result of spontaneous combus
tion caused by storing hay that
is too wet.
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4-H Spring Show, Southern Md.,
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Well Protection Workshop,
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Hay should not be stored
until the moisture content
reaches 20 percent or less. At
high moisture levels, there is a
greater risk of fire.
In addition, hay which is
baled above that moisture level
has a high risk of becoming
moldy and dusty.
Haylage, on the other hand
should be put into storage before
the moisture content drops
below 50 percent. Depending on
storage structure, haylage is
best preserved for feed when it
is between 50 and 60 percent
moisture. Haylage with a mois
ture content of 45 percent mois
ture poses a significant risk for
fire.
To Monitor Stored Hay
To be safe from fires, inspect
hay mows at least twice a week
during the harvest season.
Check for hot spots for their
exact temperatures using a ther
mometer.
If hay temperatures reach
THE SECRET WAY
TO FIRST PLACE
May 24,1998
Background Scripture:
Mark 9:33-37,10:35-45
Devotional Reading:
John 13:3-17
Put yourself in the disciples’
sandals! In the company of
Jesus they had been walking on
the road to Capernaum, talking
as they walked. Apparently,
because they were in a group
they did not think that Jesus
could hear them. But, when they
got to their destination, Jesus
turned to them and asked,
“What were you discussing on
the way?” (Mk. 9:33).
Ouch! Suppose Jesus were to
listen in on all your conversa
tions? Or read the thoughts that
remain unspoken in your mind?
That would be very compromis
ing, wouldn’t it? But what
makes you think that he does
not hear your words and read
your thoughts? Jesus knew his
disciples and he knows us too —
the good, the bad and the in
between. Mark tells us simply:
“But they were silent; for on-the
way they had discussed with one
another who was the greatest”
(v. 35).
I can’t think of a teaching of
Jesus with which we have a
harder time than what he said
on this question of who is the
greatest? Our only consolation is
in realizing that the disciples
had the same problem. They
already knew that Jesus
thought on this problem. If that
were not so, they would not have
remained silent. Perhaps he had
not said it in exactly this way, “If
any one would be first, he must
be last of all and servant of all”
(9:35), but I don’t think his posi
tion was really unknown to
them. He had demonstrated it in
his own actions.
OUR PROBLEM, TOO
Their problem was exactly
what our problem is. It wasn’t
that they did not know where he
stood, but that they did Neither
was it that they did not under
stand him, but that they did and
simply did not like what they
understood. Jesus was not just
asking them to make some
slight modifications of their
behavior, but to see life and
themselves in a totally different
way.
150 degrees, there is a danger of
fire and a daily monitoring of
hay temperature is recommend
ed. If temperatures reach 160
degrees, monitoring should be at
4-hour intervals.
Fire pockets may be expected
if the temperature of the hay
reaches 175 degrees. You should
notify the local fire department
to be on standby and ready to
remove hay. If the temperature
reaches 185 degrees, have the
fire company on hand to put out
fires which may erupt as the hay
is taken out of storage. At 210
degrees, hay is certain to ignite.
Even with these safety pre
cautions, fire may start and
barns burn to the ground. Do not
wait until it is too late to call for
help. You may also want to check
with your insurance company to
see what type of coverage you
have.
Feather Prof's Footnote
"Enthusiasm is like a ripple in the
water it spreads "
It is interesting that these
words of Jesus did not settle the
matter for the disciples. Later,
in Mark 10:35-45, the same
question would arise again. This
time it was specifically James
and John, the sons of Zebedee,
who brought the question to
Jesus. Should we assume that
they had not been present on
that other occasion? Not neces
sarily: just think how many
times you have heard Jesus
speak on this subject and yet
have not put it fully into prac
tice!
This time the question was
right out in the open. “Teacher,”
said James and John, “we want
you to do for us whatever we ask
of you” (10:35). You and I cringe
when we read this statement; it
is so baldly presumptuous to
think that anyone would ask
Jesus to “do for us whatever we
ask of you!” But was their
request any more presumptuous
than those we carry to him?
ARE YOU ABLE?
We cringe to hear them ask,
“Grant us to sit, one at your
right hand and one at your left,
in your glory.” But notice how
calmly Jesus responds to this
outrageous request: “You do not
know what you are asking. Are
you able to drink the cup that I
drink, or to be baptized with the
baptism with which I am to be
baptized?”
In their blissful ignorance,
they give him the same kind of
answer we often give him: “We
are able.” They didn’t have a
clue what it meant, but then
often neither do we. The other
disciples did not know either, for
they interpreted it as a matter of
status: “And when the ten heard
it, they began to be indignant at
James and John” (10:41)
Once more Jesus answers in
a manner that should not have
left any room for error in under
standing: whoever would be
great among you must be your
servant, and whoever would be
first among you must be slave of
all.” (10:44, 45)
Now, have you got that?
Lancaster Farming
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Everett a Newewanger Managing Editor 1
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