AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Decamber 26, 1998
OPINION
Proud To Be A Farmer
As we come to the end of the year, we look back to see change
in the making and we look forward in anticipation of new and
exciting challenges. The interdependence of the various seg
ments of agriculture could not be more pronounced. With high
milk prices and low grain prices, the saying that what is one far
mer's gain is another farmer's loss has certainly been proven true
again.
We believe this should not be so. Milk prices should be up
where they are. But grain prices should also be up at profitable
levels. With consolidation of the companies that control the man
ufacturing and distribution of the food supply, maybe we need the
large farmer controlled companies to provide the access to the
retail markets and get farmers up closer to America’s dinner
tables in the food distribution channels.
The old idea that supply and demand controls the market some
times seems to be out of line with what we see in the agriuclture
industry. Just when the Dairy Compact idea was gaining some
force, milk prices suddenly shot up to profitable levels. Is this
really a supply and demand situation? We don’t know, but as the
Dutchman said, “It makes one wonder."
Now with hog and beef prices so low that producers are in dan
ger of going bankrupt, the government is talking about giving
handouts to them again. Of course, when the government
becomes the hand-out-or it takes control of its hand-out-ees. Past
experience suggests that we don’t want this control, so 1999
should be full of challenges too.
And yet, to be associated with agriculture has been rewarding
in the past. And we believe it will be in the future also. We wish
prosperity to all those who choose to face the challenges of agri
culture into the next millenium. Every business has its challenges
and we doubt that farming has any less or more challenges than
other industries. Yes, you can be proud to be a farmer even with
the challenges of the future. Without farmers, the world dies. Best
wishes in the new year.
Fulton County Conservation Dis
trict Agribusiness Breakfast,
McConnellsburg American
Solanco Young Farmer Pesticide
Recertification, Solanco High
School, 7:30 p.m.
Eastern Pa. Turf Conference and
Trade Show, Valley Forge Con
vention Center, King of Prussi
a, thru Jan. 7.
Berks Dairy Day, Berks County
Ag Center, 9 a.m.-2:45 p.m.
Act 6 Nutrient Management Certi
fication and Plan Writing Semi
nar, Gratz Comm Carter, exam
Bucks-Montgomery Dairy Day,
Family Heritage Restaurant,
Franconia.
Farmsßisks and Management
Seminar, Pom State Campus,
Mercer County Extension,
♦
❖ Farm Calendars
11:30 a.m.
Schuylkill County DHIA Banquet,
Dairy Days.
Franklin County Dairy Day,
Kauffman Community Center,
9 a.m.-2;45 p.m.
Dairy Facilities Tour, Dave Stuck
Farm and Irvin. Hostetler Farm,
10 a.m.-Noon.
Northeast Tomato Growers’ Meet-
ing, Thompson’s Dairy Bar, 9
a.m.-3 p.m.
Vegetable Growers’ Association
of Delaware 1999 meeting, Jan.
7 Kent County Cooperative
Extension, Dover, 9 a.m.-4
p.m.; Jan. 8 Carlisle Fire Com
pany, Milford, 9 a.m.-4 p,m.;
Jan. 9 Laurel High School
Auditorium, 8:30 ajn.-Noon.
Computer Basics for Farmers, Ful
ton County Extension Office,
9:30 aan.-3 p.m.
Kutztown Produce Study Circle,
Kutztown Produce Auction, 7
Pennsylvania State Farm Show,
Farm Show Complex, Harris-
Basic Computer Workshop fpr
Beginners, Mifflin County
Library.
Cornell Cooperative Extension
To Determine Fields to
Rotate
Deciding when fields should be
rotated to another crop requires
time and some key information in
order to make the best decision,
according to Robert Anderson,
Lancaster County Extension
Agronomy Agent. Rotational
changes should be considered well
in advance of when the change
will take place
Several factors to consider in
clude a projection of the potential
production of the existing crop if
maintained another year compared
to a new crop, any pH or soil fer
tility level adjustments necessary
for the old or new crop, the suit
ability of the soil for the existing
and new crop, the crop or feed
needs of the farm operation, any
insect or disease problems in the
existing crop that will be con
trolled or no longer exist as a
problem in the new crop and a
projection of the impact on farm
income for both the old and new
crop.
To Look At Rotating
Sod Fields
If a perennial sod is going to
be rotated to corn or another an
nual crop, planning the weed con
trol program well in advance is of
paramount importance, according
to Robert Anderson, Lancaster
County Extension Agronomy
Agent. A successful approach is
the early application of herbicides.
Early applications usually im
prove weed control.
On livestock and dairy farms
where both alfalfa and corn are
grown, soil fertility levels may be
1999 Winter Daily Manage-
ment School, Delevan Fire
Training Center, 9:30 a.m.-3:20
■SSE9DDB99I
Solanco Young Farmers Meeting,
Computer Education, Solanco
High School, 7:30 p.m.
Ephrata Area Young Farmers pes
ticide update meeting, Lincoln
Family Smorgasbord, Ephrata,
6:45 p.m., also Feb. 9.
Act 6 Nutrient Management
Ccrtification/Plan Writing
Seminar, Berks Ag Center,
and Horticultural Business,
Radisson Penn Harris Hotel and
Convention Center, Camp Hill,
through Jan. IS.
Wayne County DHIA annual
meeting, Bethany Methodist
Church Hall, Bethany, 12:30
pm.
Act 6 Nutrient Management
Certiflcation/Plan Writing
fication and Plan Writing Semi-
(Turn to Pag* A3l)
another key factor in deciding
when to rotate from alfalfa to
corn. Livestock manure is nor
mally applied to only com fields.
This management practice builds
soil levels of phosphorous and po
tassium during the com portion of
the rotation.
It makes good economic seftse
to take advantage of this build up
by rotating to alfalfa when the ex
isting alfalfa fields require the ad
dition of fertilizer which must be
purchased. Alfalfa will help use
the excess nutrients built up dur
ing the com portion of the rota
tion.
To Look At Rotating
Alfalfa Fields
Robert Anderson, Lancaster
County Extension Agronomy
Agent, reports deciding when to
rotate out of alfalfa is often a
more difficult decision to make.
BY IfIWRiNCt W Al 1 HOUSE
f ®aiS!L!|
THE PROMISE UNBROKEN
December 27,1998
Background Scripture:
Luke 24: 13-23
Devotional Reading:
John 16:1-11
It may seem quite strange to
follow the Christmas story with
a portion of the Easter story and
only one week in between. But
the good news of Jesus Christ is
just one story in several seg
ments and it is well for us to
realize that Christmas and
Easter are all part of that one
story.
The prophet Isaiah had
prophesied, "Behold, a young
woman shall conceive and bear a
son, and shall call his name
Immanuel" (Is. 7:14). When
Matthew quotes this, he goes on
to explain that Immanuel
"means, God with us" (Matt.
1:23b) When Jesus began his
ministry, many were attracted
to him because they felt that
when they were with Jesus they
were in the presence of God.
THE PROMISE NOT
BROKEN
That is what ties the Easter
story so closely to the message of
Christmas. If his enemies were
able to arrest, try and execute
him, the promise of "God with
us" would be negated. If Jesus
was put to death it would be
impossible for him to fulfill his
promise, "Lo, I am with you
always..."( Matt. 28:20)
The experiences of the resur
rected Christ, on the other hand,
were God's evidence that the
promise of "God with us" was
not broken, for Jesus was still
with them. Unfortunately, the
good news seemed almost too
good to be true. They found an
empty tomb, but that was not
proof that Jesus was alive. They
didn't know how to evaluate the
testimony of the wpmen who
went to the empty tomb: The
two disciples on the Emmaus
road did not know what to make
of these conflicting thoughts.
They reacted much as some of us
would have; wanting desperate
ly to believe, they nevertheless
doubted.
Isn't it strange that these
men walked for miles with the
risen Christ and did not recog
’ nize him until they sat at table
and broke bread together? Or
have you wondered why the
Risen Christ appeared as a flesh
and bones human to some and
Normally anytime the number of
alfalfa crowns or plants is less
than five per square foot, rotating
to another crop makes production
sense unless this would leave the
farm without adequate alfalfa pro
duction to meet livestock feeding
needs.
When examining the number
of alfalfa plants in afield in the
fall or early winter, several ad
justments should be made to the
data gathered. Dig up several
plants and determine the number
or per cent that are healthy. Also,
consider the buildup of hard to
control weeds in the stand. The
decision to rotate out of alfalfa
may be delayed until after the first
cutting of alfalfa next year if addi
tional forage is needed.
Feather Prof, 's Footnote: "If a
window of opportunity appears,
do not pull down the shade."
as a spiritual vision to others?
The four gospel accounts of the
resurrected Christ cannot be
pieced together. Thank God for
that, I say. This is not an acci
dent report, but the most tran
scendental encounter any of us
can experience!
sn
Some people get rather excit
ed about these discrepancies in
the gospel accounts, as if they all
should fit together comfortably.
But to me the discrepancies and
differences in the resurrection
appearances are healthy.
Because these accounts are so
different, they are more believ
able as a spiritual experience.
That's what happens when we
encounter God close at hand—
just as late in John's account of
Jesus' ministry, God spoke, say
ing that he has glorified his
name "and I will glorify it
again." Though some disciples
clearly heard God'g voice, Johji
tells us some "said'thdt it tHuh- '
dered”! John 12:29).
When Jesus "took the bread
and blessed, and broke it," then
"their eyes were opened and
they recognized him." Often we
have the same problem. Jesus is
with us, just as he promised, but
for some reason known only to
the One-who made us, we do not
recognize him. It is as if we are
wearing blinders. He is so close
to us—sitting at the table with
us when we break bread, for
example—and we just don't
realize it. In retrospect some
times we can say, "Did not our
hearts burn within us while he
talked to us on the road, while
he opened to us the scriptures?"
(Lk. 24:32)
Even when he appeared to
leave them for the last
time(24"so-53), he would still be
with them, but in a different
way. "And behold, I send the
promise of my Father upon you;
but stay in the city, until you
are clothed with power on
high." The physical body has its
limitations, even the physical
body of Jesus. Jesus i\ever
promised to be physically with
us forever. The promise of his
power is an even greater fulfill
ment of the promise "God with
us"
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Bphrata Review Building
1 B. Main St.
Bphrata, PA 17522
-by
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A Steinman Enterprise
William J. Burgeat General Manager
Everett R. Newawangar Managing Editor
Copyright 1998 Lanccuur Farming
THEIR EYES WERE
OPENED