AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 4, 1998
OPINION
Agriculture
Makes America Strong
On Independence Day, we celebrate the strength of America
and the good things we enjoy as a nation. Many people don’t
seem to realize the fact that one of our strengths is die impact agri
culture presents to the economy.
Agriclture is often presented as insignificent because only two
percent of the population is involved in farming. This may be
true, but it is not relevent to the real picture. We as an agribusiness
industry do ourselves a tremendous disservice to allow the public
to assign a sense of minor importance to the food production sys
tem. If we count the agriservice, processors, support services,
truck drivers, and distributors, the total food production system
accounts for 27 percent of the U.S. economy and about 20 percent
of the employment
If our farmers don’t farm, not only do the people not eat, 20
percent of them arc also out of a job. Every nation that is depen
dent on foreign agriculture for a food supply has an inherent
weakness. America’s agriculture makes America strong.
S;ilui(l;n. .1 nl\ 4
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Sullivan County Rodeo and Truck
Pull, Sullivan County Fair
Clarion County Fair, New Beth
lehem, thru July 11.
Mercer County Grange Fair, Mer-
CCT I dmiJulvll j^_ Bl^__
NCWGA Region 5 Sheep Show
and Colored Fleece and Sheep
Sale, Derry Ag Fair, New Der
ry, thru July 11.
Derry Township Fair, New Derry,
thru July 11.
Clinton/Centie County Pa. Hols-
Contest, Elizabethtown
Fairgrounds.
Pasture Walk for Frederick Coun-
Golf Course, between Eli-
zabethtown and Middletown.
Baltimore County 4-H Fair, Mary
land State Fairgrounds, Timo-
nium, thru July 12.
Lebanon County Pa. Holstein
Junior Judging School, noon,
thru July 9.
Dairy-MAP On Tour, Ed Zug
Farm, Peach Bottom, 11 a.m.-2
p.m.
Pasture Walk, Conrad and Bonnie
Fisher, Green Lane, 9:30
a.m.-noon.
Southwest Pa. 4-H Dairy Over
nighter, Dayton Fairgrounds,
Enactment, Derry Ag Fair
grounds, 6 p.m.-8;30 p.m.
Central Maryland Research and
Education Center Open House,
Clarksville Facility, 10
a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Talbot County Fair, Talbot Agri
culture Center, Easton, thru
July 11.
* Farm Calendar ❖
Ag Issues Forum, Kreider Farms
Family Restaurant, Manheim,
Engine and Farm Equipment
Show, West End Fairgrounds,
Gilbert, 4(1111 July 12.
York County Home and Farm
Safety Camp for 8-13 Year
Olds, York County 4-H Cento:,
8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
9th Annual Fawn Grove Olde
Tyme Days, Fawn Grove, thru
July 12.
35th Animal Industry Day, Virgi-
nia Tech Livestock Center.
Derry Ag Fair Hosts Region 5
Natural Colored Wool Growers
Sheep Association Colored
Fleece and Colored Sheep Sale,
Derry Fairgrounds, 7 p.m.
Grazing and pasture meeting, Col
leen Epler Ruths, Northumber-
Tioga County Annual Farm-City
Day, David and Donna Cleve-
land’s Farm, Wellsboro, 11
a.m.-4 p.m.
Turkey Hill Giant Ice Cream Sun
dae. Capitol City Mall, Camp
Hill. 11 a.m.-l p.m.
Summer Beef Field Day, hosted by
Mullinix family, Woodbine,
Md., carcass evaluation July 13.
4-H Dog at Work, Chester County
Romano 4-H Center, 9:30
aun.-3 p.m.
Eastern Apicultural Society Short
Course and Conference, Short
Course at Seven Springs Moun
tain Resort, Champion, thru
July 15.
Pa. Wool Pool, Wyoming Fair
grounds, Meshoppen, noon-7
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Western Pa. Junior Holstein Show.
Crooked Creek Horse Park,
Ford City, 10 un.
Ccntre/Clionton Holstein Associa-
To Look For Aphids
Aphids are small, soft bodied
insects that feed on plant fluids,
according to Dr. Timothy Elkner,
Lancaster County Horticultural
Agent. They vary in color and
may be found in green, yellow,
red, purple, brown or black.
These insects cause damage to
plants by removing fluids, by the
toxic action of saliva they inject
into plants while feeding and by
spreading viruses which are harm
tul to plants. The feeding activity
of aphids can stunt plant growth
and deform leaves and fruit.
Many types of aphids also se
crete a sticky, sugar rich substance
called "honeydew". The honeydew
will fall unto leaves, fruit or
branches of the plant. It will also
fall on cars, picnic tables and
driveways.
A black fungus called sooty
mold will then grow on the sugar
rich honeydew and may ruin the
appearance of the plant as well as
driveways rnd furniture. Honey
dew will also attract ants, flies,
hornets and yellowjackets.
To Control Aphids
Dr. Timothy Elkner, Lancaster
County Extension ‘ Horticultural
Agent, reminds us controlling
aphids is easier if you take action
tion picnic, Paul and Dee Cour
ier Farm, Mill Hall, 7 p.m.
Southeast District Dairy Show,
Lebanon Area Fairgrounds.
Jacktown Fair, Wind Ridge, thru
July 19.
Wool Pool, Wyoming Fair
grounds, Meshoppen, 8 a.m.-4
p.m.
Christmas Tree Growers meeting,
Helen and Ed’s Tree Farm,
Dorrance, 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
NPPC Pork Quality and Safety
Summit, Hotel Fort, Des
Moines, lowa, thru July IS.
DEP CAFO Proposal Meeting/
Hearings, Lancaster Farm and
Home Center, Lancaster, 6:30
p.m.
Grazing and pasture meeting,
Dave and Ruth Ann Hallow,
p.m
Eastern Apicultural Society Short
Course and Conference, Con
ference at Seven Springs
Mountain Resort, Champion,
thru July 17.
World Sheep and Wool Congress,
Fairplex, Pomona, Calif., thru
Weed Science Field Day,
Landisville.
Kent County Fair, Kent Ag Center,
Tolchester, thru July 19.
Pa. Young Farmers Tours and
Conference, Tulpehocken High
School, also tour on July 17
(buses leave from high school).
(Turn to Pago A3O)
before the population becomes too
large. Many people have success
fully disrupted the life cycle of
aphids by washing the insects
from their plants with a strong
stream of water. Beneficial insects
may also be effective in control
ling aphids.
Ladybugs are one important
predator of aphids. Lacewings,
some flower flies and parasitic
wasps are other predators that are
often not noticed. If the aphid
population is very large, the most
effective means of control is the
use of a registered insecticide.
There are many products la
beled for the control of aphids.
Remember, when using any pesti
cide, always read the label and fol
low the directions on the label.
To Protect Food After
Storms
The recent storms we have ex
perienced reminds us that power
outages may occur. During power
outages, you will want to preserve
the cold air inside your refrigerator
and freezer.
STAYING WITHIN
THE UMIT
July 5. 1998
Background Scripture:
Proverbs 2:1-15
Devotional Reading:
Psalms 53:1-6
The books of Ecclesiastes, Job
and Proverbs are called “the Wis
dom Books” of the Bible. The pur
poses of these bodes is not to tell a
story, but to impart wisdom, a
characteristic highly valued by the
Hebrews.
The Book of Proverbs is differ
ent than Job and Ecclesiastes in
that it is simply a large collection
of proverbs wise and vivid say
ings especially, but not exclusive
ly, for the instruction of the young.
Historically. Proverbs is a com
pendium of the religious and mor
al instruction given to Jewish
youth by professional sages in the
period after the return from the
Babylonian captivity, although
many of the proverbs date to much
earlier times.
Many of us remember some of
the proverbs our parents taught us:
“If at first you don’t succeed, try,
try again.” “People who live in
glass houses shouldn’t throw
stones.” “A bird in the hand is
worth two in the bush.” The
genius of proverbs is that they say
so much in so few words. The
source of proverbial wisdom is ex
perience and the purpose is always
practical: to help us live wisely.
DATA vs. WISDOM
Maybe the reason we do not
very often hear proverbs quoted
today is that wisdom is not highly
valued in our society. It is said that
we live in an “infopnation age.”
But information by itself does not
add up to wisdom. Computers
may supply us with more informa
tion than we can use, but not the
wisdom with which to use it
What is really valued in our
world today is toughness and
power. In every political cam
paign I read ringing testimonies
that this or that candidate is
“tough” on crime, spending, cor
ruption or on whatever they think
people want them to be tough. I
rarely hear of anyone being cele
brated for their wisdom. That
brings to mind a little passage
If it looks like the power fail
ure may be of short duration, keep
the door closed. According to
Nancy Wiker, Lancaster County
Extension Family and Consumer
Sciences Agent, a refrigerator
should keep foods safely cold for 6
hours, depending on room tem
perature. A freezer will hold foods
much longer - up to two days if it
is a free standing freezer that is
fully loaded or about a day for a
partially loaded.
If it looks like the power out
age will last for more than a few
days, buy some dry ice for the
freezer. If the power is going to be
out more than 6 hours, refrigerated
food may have to be discarded. If
the electricity continues to be out
more than two days, then the
freezer food may have to be
thrown out as well.
Remember, ice crystal are a
good indication that the food is
still cold enough to be safe.
Feather Prof, 's Footnote:
"Goal: Conceive it! Believe it'
Achieve it!"
from Ecclesiastes 9:14-16:
There was a little city with a
few men in it; and a great king
came against it and besieged it...
But there was found in it a poor
wise man, and he by his wisdom
delivered the city. Yet no one re
membered that poor man. But I
say that wisdom is better than
might, though the poor man’s wis
dom is despised, and his words are
not heeded.
SEEKING AND FINDING
Proverbs 2 sums up the themes
of the whole book. First, says the
sage, if you truly seek wisdom
from the Lord, you will receive it
“If you cry out for insight and
raise your voice for understand
ing, if you seek it like silver and
search for it as for hidden treasure:
then you will understand the fear
of the Lord and find the know
ledge of God (2:3-5). In New
Testament times Gnostics taught
that the gospel was a mystery that
could be known by only a select
few, but the Old Testament sage
indicates that the only bar to wis
dom is our own personal desire
arid receptivity.
Secondly, the sage says that if
we accept the wisdom God im
parts to us, then it will show up in
our living. The wise person will
“walk in integrity, guarding the
paths of justice and equity.”
Knowing what to do is only half of
it; doing it is the other inseparable
half. So we seek wisdom, not to
accumulate a mental library of
teachings, but to live wisely in the
sight of God.
Third and finally, if we receive
wisdom and live wisely, there are
great benefits from the Lord:
“Discretion will watch over you,
understanding will guard you; de
livering you from the way of evil,
from men of perverted speech...
men whose paths are crooked...
(11-15).
Elbert Hubbard once said:
“Every man is a damn fool for at
least five minutes every day. Wis
dom consists in not exceeding that
limit.” With God’s help we can
slay within the limit.
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
X E. Main St.
Ephrata, PA 17522
-by
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A Stemman Enterprise
William J. Burgess General Manager
Everett R. Newswengcr Managing Editor
Copyright 1996 by Lancaster Farming