AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 23, 1999 OPINION Older Farmers At Higher Risk About 42 percent of Pennsylvania farm fatalities in 1998 involved victims age 65 or older. Unlike their corporate counterparts, farmers routinely work beyond standard retirement age. Increased vulnerabil ity to injury and illness should be a warning to older farm ers to reduce risks in their farm work routines, said a safe ty expert in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. “Be careful +ry things that are beyond your capa bilities,” says P furphy, professor of agricultural engi neering. “Se i citizens are routinely exposed to hazards long after their urban counterparts have retired to a life of golf and cruises.” A National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health study found that workers older than age 55 accounted for about half of all farming deaths, with fatality rates 2-1/2 times higher than workers under age 55. Two-thirds of Pennsylvania farm fatalities involving farmers older than 65 were tractor-related, with large majority involving an overturn. “Tractor overturns are the most common cause of death for older farm workers,” Murphy says. “Most deaths can be prevented if the farmer operates a tractor outfitted with an approved rollover pro tective structure and wears a seatbelt.” Murphy recommends that older farmers have a complete physical examination at least once a year. “Be sure to have vision and hearing checked annually,” he said. “It’s impor tant to know your physical limits. It’s human nature to push to get a job done, but your life is more important than any job.” Murphy also says preparation helps older farmers work more safely. “Get adequate rest, eat nutritiously and wear proper work clothes and footwear,” he says. “Take work breaks and always stop when you are tired.” Every farmer also should know the symptoms of heart attack and stroke. Murphy also urges farmers to check all medical prescriptions with a doctor or pharmacist to see if it is safe to operate equipment while taking them. “If your doc tor says a farm activity is risky for you, please let someone else do it,” he said. “Both the farmer and all family members should know what to do in an emergency situation.” Murphy cites preventative measures recommended by the National Safety Council for older farm workers. •Equip all tractors with a rollover protective structure and operate all tractors wearing a seatbelt. • Put gears in neutral, engage the parking brake and turn off the engine before dismounting the tractor. • Never carry riders on tractors or equipment. Never ride on a tractor or equipment. •Maintain all farm vehicles and wear seatbelts while operating them. •Review operating manual before operating any equip ment. • Design animal pens, holding facilities and other build ings so workers can avoid or elude aggressive animals easi ly- Saturday. October 23 4th Annual National IHC Consign ment Auction, Western Pa. Chapter of the IH Collectors Club (#l6), Hookstown Grange ■Monday. October 25 Tuesday, < K'lohtr 2f) Regional Dairy Quality Manage ment Alliance Workshop and Management Implementor Training, Ramada Inn, State College, thru Oct. 27. Franklin County Conservation District and FSA Annual Ban quet, Lurgan Lions Club, Rox- y> ❖ Farm Calendar * bury, 6:45 p.m. Southeast Regional Christmas Tree Growers’ Meeting, Berks County Ag Center, Leesport, 7 p.m. Wyoming/Susquchanna counties cooperative extension annual meeting. Carriage Inn Restaur ant, Tunkhannock, 7 pm. Spreadsheet For Ag Use Computer Workshop, York 4-H Center, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., also Oct. 28. Annual Meeting of Pa. Council of Cooperatives, Pom Stater Con ference Center and Hotel, State College. planning Your Heritage, Business Transfer, Cumberland County Cooperative Extension, Carli sle, 7 p.m. To Manage Frosted Com Appropriate management of frosted com can help reduce yield losses and maintain the feeding value, according to Robert Ander son, Lancaster County agronomy agent Frost damage to com will occur whenever temperatures remain below 32 degrees for 4 to 5 hours or anytime the temperature declines to 28 degrees even if only for a few minutes. Negligible losses will occur after the grain has dried to 35 per cent moisture or below, even with a severe frost If any green leaves remain after a frost, even leaves below the ear, the com plant will ™-»ntinnr to mature and increase dry matter content. A good rule of thumb to remember is let frosted com stand as long as there are some green leaves and the ear has not formed the black layer. To Manage Frosted Soybeans Soybeans will continue to gain in dry matter content even after the leaves begin to turn yellow, according to Robert Anderson, Lancaster County agronomy agent However, after a killing frost the soybean plant stops fpatiiring. Normally 40 days ate needed between the bloom and a mature soybean. If a killing frost occurs sooner, the latter pods and tvans will not mature. As with other crops, immature soybeans do not dry as well as mature beans. Leaving the immature beans stand in the field for longer periods of time may help dry them but spe cial care will be needed in harvest ing to avoid high field losses. If a large percentage of the beans are Chester County Holstein Annual Meeting, West Fallowfleld Christian School, Atglen, 6:45 ,W*' SiSHS Grange Hall, Mexico, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Odor Research Field Day, David Groff Swine Farm, Lewisburg, 10:30 a.m.-l:30 p.m. AD ADC Dist. 10 meeting, Oxford Methodist Church, Oxford, N.Y., 8 pjn. AD ADC Dist 13 meeting. Dibbles Inn, Vernon, N.Y., 7:30 p.m. Lebanon County Holstein Annual Meeting, Mt. Zion Fire Hall, ing. Celebration Hall, State College, supper 6:30 pm. Wayne County Holstein Annual Meeting, Belmont Comers Fire Hall. Pleasant Mount 7:45 o.m. (Turn to Pag* A3l) immature, do not forget to have them checked for feeding value. To Be Safe At Halloween The National Safe Kids Cam paign suggests the following Hal loween Safety Tips. The costume should be short and snug-fitting. Baggy sleeves or billowy capes and skirts can trip children and catch fire if they brush against a candle. Shoes should fit properly. Big, floppy shoes (clown shoes, adult shoes) that are hard to walk in may make children trip. If a costume requites a prop like a sword or a knife, etc., it should be flexible. Rigid props can hurt children during a fall. Mask should fit properly and have eyeholes large enough to see through. A bet ter idea is to paint the face instead Sill HHHHIHH ''-''/////a \ BIT lAWRENCE W AITHOUSE f Mas PASSING IT ON October 24,1999 Background Scripture: Deuteronomy 6 Devotional Reading: Deuteronomy 30:11-20 How many of you believe you gave your parents too much love? None of you, I’m sure. It is impossible to give your parents too much love. In fact, when they are gone, many of us realize that we never gave them enough love. If you have ever come to the conclusion, join the club—it’s one of the biggest in the world. One reason we rarely give our parents enough love is that we engaged with them in a lifelong struggle between dependence and independence. Many times we resisted obeying them or did so reluctantly because we were intent on being our own person. Human beings generally do not like to have to obey anyone, especially our parents who laid down the rules by which they expected us to live with them. It is upsetting to us when someone can say ‘Do that’ and we have to do it. I think we have the same kind of struggle with God. He commands us and we are expect ed to obey those command ments. That was the basis of the relationship between God and the people of Israel. As Moses tells them, “Now this is the com mandment, the statutes and ordinances which the Lord your God has commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it” (Deut. 6:1). 4 RESPONSES Essentially, there are usually four different responses which people make to commandments. There are those who say, “I will” and do it, and those who say, “I will,” but don’t. Then there are those who say “I won’t” but do it anyway and those who say “I won’t” and don’t. At any given moment we are likely to find ourselves in one or more of those categories. This is true between children and parents and also God and his children. Moses instructed the people of Israel to keep these com mandments always in their con tinuing consciousness. “And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and of wearing a mask. While out trick or treating, mat sure that the costumes are visib to drivers. Whenever possible, in materials which glow in the dark* add reflective tape or stickeis I the costume. Trick or treat i groups and children under 1 should be accompanied by a adult. When crossing the stree always cross at crosswalks an intersections. Never cross betwcc parked cars. Always look fin before stepping into the street. Treats should be checked fc tampering before any are eatei Take only wrapped candies. Feather Prof, ’s Footnote ‘Many times the differenc between failure and success i doing something nearly right o doing it exactly right. " shall talk of them when you si in your house, and when yo walk by the way, and when yo lie down, and when you rise. An you shall write them on the doo posts of your house and on you gates” (6:6-9). We are not aske to memorize them so that w can recite them; we are told t make them part of us so that w can live them. This is not just a matter o God enforcing his authority ove us—even it is may sometime feel that way. God makes thes commandments because whei we live by them our lives an blessed. The reason to obey Goi is not to escape his punishment and living by the command ments is not a burden imposet upon us. Rather it is a blessinj to which God invites us. Live b; these commandments and yoi will be better off: “...be careful h do them; that it may go wel with you, and that you may mul tiply greatly, as the Lord, th< God of your fathers, hai promised you, in a land flowinj with milk and honey” (6:3). Th( commandments are alwayi given “for our g00d...” (6:24). GOD’S MIGHTY DEEDS It would seem from the 01< Testament that the relationshi] God and his people began witl God’s commandments, but, if wt look closer, we find that there ii something the comes before th< commandments. “When your soi asks you in time to come, Wha is the meaning of the testi monies and the statutes and th( ordinances which the Lord oui God has commanded you?’ thei you shall say to your son, W( were Pharoh’s slaves in Egypt and the Lord brought us out o Egypt with a mighty hand’ (6:20,21). Before the command ments of God, then, there are thi mighty deeds of God. It is onl; after he has done great thingi for us that he commands us. That is why it is so importan for us to continually pass oi from one generation to anothe the accounts of what God ha done and is doing for us. That i why we need family and commu nity rituals and ceremonies t continually remind us of God’ great love and grace. And what do you do to pass i on? Lancaster Farminj Established 1955 Publishod Every Saturday Ephrat.a Review Building 1 E. Main St.' Ephrata, PA 17522 -by Lancaster Farming, Inc A Steinman Enteiprise William J. Burgess General Manager Everett R. Newswanger Editor Copyright 1999 by Lancaster Farming
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers