AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 25, 1998
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OPINION
Successful FFA
Golf Tournament
The annual Hoss’Fore FFA Golf Tournament and dinner/
auction was held this week with great results for the fund-raising
effort of the Pennsylvania FFA Foundation. The total exceeded
the goal of $25,000 because many people got involved.
The event has grown so much that two golf courses are needed
to accommodate the crowd. Between Fox Chase and Hawk Val
ley more than 240 players registered for the event. In addition, the
auction brought in more than anyone expected.
The event depends on the generosity of so many people. Agri
businesses donate money and prizes. Donations of items for the
auction get larger every year.
To mention one individual donor or bidder at the auction
would detract from the total effort put forth by so many people.
Of course, the event would never happen if Bill and Nancy
Campbell did not sponsor the event under the banner of the
Hoss’s Fore FFA Golf Tournament. Not only do they serve the
golfers and guests with a delicious lunch and dinner, they often
buy one of the more costly items at the auction.
To everyone who had a part in this successful event Monday
evening——thanks. Through your generosity, the FFA youth of
the state are better, served.
Lebanon Area Fair, Lebanon Val
ley Expo Center, thru Aug. 1.
Carroll County 4-H/FFA Fair,
Carroll County Ag Center,
Westminster, thru Aug. 1.
Cecil County Old Time Farm
Days, Fairgrounds, Fair Hill,
thru July 26.
Animal Science Day Camp, Cam
bria County Fairgrounds, 1
Pa. Holstein Association State
Picnic, Keith and Debbie
Decker Farm, Knox, noon.
Potter County Fair, Millport, thru
Aug. 1.
Troy Draft Horse Show, Fair-
Juniata County Youth Fair, Port
Royal Fairgrounds, thru July
30.
Goshen Country Fair, West Ches-
Ag Horizons Conference, Wild
wood Conference Center, Har
risburg HACC.
Ag Showcase Day. Fair Hill
Natural Resources Manage
ment Area, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
4-H Dairy Roundup. York Fair
grounds, 9:30 a.m.
DEP CAFO Proposal Meeting/
Hearings, DEP NCRO, Wil
liamsport, 7 p.m.
Electric Deregulation Informa
tional Meeting, Franklin Coun
ty Administration Building,
Chambersburg, 7:30 p.m.-9
p.m.
Field meeting, Vernon Crum
Farm, Milanville, 12:30
Chincoteaguc Pony Swim and
Auction, Chincoteaguc, Va.,
thru July 30.
Horticulture Field Day, Rockspr
ing Research Farm, 8 a.m.-S
p.m.
❖ Farm Calendars
Lancaster County Soil Conserva
tion District Annual Expo,
Cedar Meadow Farm (Steve
Groff), Holtwood, 10 a.m.-3
p.m.
Upper Marlboro Research Farm
Field Day, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
York County Holstein Show, York
Fairgrounds, 10 a.m.
Caroline County Fair, Caroline
County 4-H Park, Denton, thru
Aug. 2.
Muhlenberg Community Days,
Muhlenberg High School, 6
p.m.
Farmers’-Businessmen’s Picnic,
Dußrow’s Nurseries, Pitts
town, NJ., tours 4:30 p.m.,
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Summer Vineyard Walk-Around,
begins at Stone Barn Restaur
ant, Uiiionville, 9 a.m.
Western Maryland Research and
Education Center Field Day,
Keedysville, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
Harford County Farm Fair, Har
ford County Equestrian Center,
Bel Air, thru Aug. 2.
South Central Dairy Show, Ship
pensburg Fairgrounds.
Fayette County Fair, Dunbar, thru
Dorchester County 4-H Fair,
Thendora 4-H Center, Hurlock,
thru Aug. 1.
Lebanon County Holstein Show,
Lebanon Fairgrounds, Leba
non, 9 a.m.
Eastern Arabian Horse Show,
Quentin Riding Club, Quentin.
20th Annual Pa. Performance-
Tested Ram Sale and Sheep
Producers Field Day, Penn
State Ag Arena, State College.
Va. Charolais Association Field
Day, Buzzy Coleman’s Farm,
Bedford, Va.
51st All-American Angus Breed
ers Futurity, Kentucky Fair and
Expo Center, Louisville, Ky.,
To Keep SCC Counts
Low
Glenn Shirk, Lancaster County
Extension Dairy Agent, reminds
us that keeping somatic cell
counts (SCC) low m hot weather
is a challenge. Infectious bacteria
thrive in warm filthy areas
If cows are not protected from
these areas, the risk of these or
ganisms invading cows' udders,
hoot tissues and reproductive
tracts are greatly increased When
cows are stressed by hot condi
tions, depressed appetite, hoof in
fections and other aliments, their
immune status is jeopardized and
they are less able to fight off in
vading organisms.
Thus, strategies for maintain
ing low SCC levels in summer
include efforts to bolster the cow's
immune system by reducing heat
stress, improving cow comfort,
maintaining a sanitary environ
ment lor cows, adhering to strict
protocols and sanitary procedures
at milking time and maintaining
good nutrition and herd health
To Monitor SCC Counts
Bacteria do not take the sum
mer oft while you are in the field,
according to Glenn Shirk, Lancas
ter County Extension Dairy
Agent. It is very important to
monitor your DHIA somatic cell
count (SCO code levels closely
thru Aug. 2.
Washington County Ag Expo,
Washington County Ag and Ed
Center, Hagerstown, thru Aug.
7.
Pa. Holstein Southwest Champ
ionship Show, Fayette Fair-
grounds, Uniontown, 9:30 a.tn.
West Central 4-H/FFA Dairy
Show, Grange Fair Fair-
grounds, Centre Hall.
Dauphin County Farm Bureau
Picnic, Halifax Memorial Park,
6:30 p.m.
Luzerne County Farm-City Day,
Ray Hillman Building, Luzerne
County Fairgrounds, 10 a.m.-4
n.m.
Schuylkill County Fair, Summit
Station, thru Aug. 8.
Union County West End Fair,
Fairgrounds, Troy.
Clearfield County Fair, Clearfield,
thru Aug. 8.
Cochranton Community Fair,
Cochran ton, thru Aug. 8.
Food Grade Soybean Production
and Vegetation Field Day, Leo
nard Stoltzfus Farm, Douglass
ville, 8:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m.
Morrison Cove Dairy Show, Mar-
Penn State, University Park,
thru Aug. 6.
Verihont Bus Tour for EAYF,
(Turn to Page A3l)
Keep the percentage of cows in
SCC code levels 7, 8 and 9 low.
Treat and cull these cows as nec-
essary.
These are the "hot" cows that
really pump cells into the milk
tank. These are the cows that pose
the greatest risk to other cows in
the herd. Just as important, keep
the percentage of cows in SCC
code categories of 4,5 and 6 from
creeping up on you.
These are largely sub clinical
cows that you may be content to
live with. They will probably
keep your herd average SCC
counts m the 300,000 to 500,000
range. Being content to live with
these SCC levels really makes
your job of controlling mastitis
flare-ups hard. These cows will
become the "hot" cows of the fu
ture Think of these cows as hot
embers m a hay mow that must
be dealt with immediately
To Apply For Fuel Tax
Refund
Pennsylvania liquid fuels tax
LIVING IN THE
HOUSE YOU BUILT
July 26, 1998
Background Scripture:
Proverbs 28:1-13
Devotional Reading;
Matthew 7:15-27
William B. Silverman tells
an old rabbinic story about
Rabbi Zusya, who, before his
death, wept as he said, “In the
coming world God will not ask
me: ‘Why were you not as
Moses?’ because I am not Moses.
God will not ask me ‘Why were
you not like Isaiah?’ because I
am not Isaiah.” “Why then,”
asked one of his disciples, “do
you weep?” Rabbi Zusya sighed
as he answered: “It is because
God will ask me: ‘Why were you
not Zusya?’ Have I lived up to
the best in me? What shall I
answer?”
Some of us assume that we do
not have much, if anything, to
live up to. But each of us was
created with a “best” in us that
God expects us to live up to Are
you the best that you can be? It
is really a matter of integrity for
us to be true to that inner gift,
the most precious thing that any
of us can ever possess.
This can only occur when we
value our integrity more than
we value riches. Yet, despite
what we may say, we often
believe deep down that money,
power and fame are the things
that really count—and we live
accordingly. The late Prof. W. E.
Hocking believed that we cannot
have a sound society unless we
have a sufficient number of per
sons who cannot be bought. He
called them “unpurchaseable
men.”
THE PRICE TAG
Do you believe that there are
people like that today? I do, but
I know that lots of people believe
that “Everyone has his price.”
Much of our economic and polit
ical life seems founded on that
principle. “It’s just a matter of
finding the right price,” I’ve
been told.
The sage of the Book of
Proverbs tells us, “Better is a
poor man who walks in his
integrity than a rich man who is
perverse in his way” (28:6). If we
refund claims for the period July
1, 1997 to June 30, 1998 may be
filed with the Board of Finance
and Revenue until September 30,
1998. State law allows for reim
bursement of state tax paid by
farmers for gas, diesel and other
fuels.
Each claim must include copies
of paid receipts or a statement
from the fuel dealer that indicates
the number of gallons purchased,
purchased dates and verification
the state excise tax was paid. Re
cent changes in the law has com
plicated filing for this year.
Make sure you fill out the cor
rect forms. Claim forms are avail
able from the Board ol Finance
and Revenue, 500 C Finance
Building, Harrisburg PA 17120
For more information, call 717-
787-6534.
Feather Prof, 's Footnote "
"Develop your dreams and vou
create passion. Develop the
dreams of others and you create
heaven."
give lip service to our integrity
but feel we can’t possibly pass
up the money, we have been
bought. It seems reasonable
“Think of your family’s welfare ”
“Everybody does it; what makes
you so special?” “Look at it as
good business.”
“A rich man,” says the sage,
“is wise in his own eyes...”
(28:11). Greed tends to make us
arrogant. When we badly want
something other than our
integrity, we persuade ourselves
that we are above the rules. We
become secretive—other people
just wouldn’t understand it as
we do.
AWAY BACK
The sage says, “He who con
ceals his transgressions will not
prosper, but he who confesses
and forsakes them will obtain
mercy” (29:13). Often we conceal
our transgressions from our
selves first. Once we have been
successful in that, we can con
ceal them from anyone else—
except God. He sees both what
we are and what we might have
been. Fortunately, there is
always a way back to God for the
person who sells out; confession
and repentance.
Another rabbinic story tells
about a good man who wanted to
do something good for someone,
so, observing the miserable con
ditions in which a carpenter and
his family were living, he called
the man and commissioned him
to build a beautiful house. “I
want this to be an ideal cottage
Use only the best materials,
employ the best workmen and
spare no expense.”
The carpenter saw this com
mission as a great opportunity;
so he skimped on the materials,
the workmanship and cut cor
ners wherever he could. When
the good man returned and the
carpenter handed him the keys,
the good man handed them
back, saying, “These keys are
yours. I had you build this house
for yourself. It is my gift to you
and your family.”
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
1 E. Main St.
Ephrata, PA 17522
-by
Lancaster Farming, Inc
A Stemman Enterprise
William J. Burgess General Manager
Everett R. Newswanger Managing Editor
Copyright 1996 by Lancaster Farm’rg