Ida’s Notebook Ida Risser Reserve Your Advertising Space Nutrient Management Reference Guide A reference guide for farmers and nutrient management planners on the new revised regulations as authorized by the Pennsylvania Conservation Commission in eration with the Penns cooi De >artment of Environmental Protection. Penn State Universih extension, and count This 80+ page, 8 Vi x 11-inch book will include introduction of recent changes in the nutrient management laws, a checklist to develop a Nutrient Management Plan, and descriptions of CAFOs and AFOs along with help to determine your farm’s status. In addition, a list of the county conservation districts and commercial nutrient management specialists will be given with contact resources. Not only will this guide be inserted into the Aug. 19. 2000 issue of Lancaster Farming, the books will be made available at Empire Days, Ag Progress Days, All American Dairy Show, Keystone International Livestock Exposition, Keystone Farm Show 2001 and Pennsylvania Farm Show 2001. For more information } contact your advertising representative at: Lancaster Farming ""A /> (/ soil conservation districts Box 609,1 E, Main St, Phone: 717-626-1164 Fax: 717-733-6058 E-mail: farming@lancasterfarming. com We've had lots of rain recent ly. Three inches fell in a few hours and a nearby community had six inches. All of the weeds and grass around our house took advantage of the moisture and grew rapidly. I’ve spent hours bending over flower beds pulling weeds. The grass that I hoe out of the garden seems to grow fast again so 1 raked it off between the rows. The pea fences have been taken down and the ground rototilled for a long row of sweet potatoes. The cucumbers are blooming In The Year 2000 Ivania De artment of Agriculture, the Penns Ephrata, PA 17522 and this year I should have a bumper crop compared to last year when it was so very dry. The cabbage plants that my hus band started in the basement have enormous leaves. They re mind me of the giant ones that we saw in Alaska a few years ago. I've planted so many kinds of squash and pumpkins that I real ly do not know what is what until they bear. The three grand children helped to push seeds into the hills that I made for them. So far this year, the soy- \ _ v 'N I y / / s count Lancaster Firming, Saturday, July 15, 2000-Bii beans and peanuts have been left alone by the groundhog. The deer that lives in our meadow reaches across the rail fence and nibbles off leaves from a young tree. We do enjoy watch ing him cross from one wood lot to another each evening. Just so he stays out of my garden. We recently put an electric fence around our sweet corn patch to protect it from raccoons. Now we must prepare our straw berry rows for next year’s har vest. And, there are still orna mental bushes to be trimmed. No lack of work. Ivania erative coo Savings Benefits FLEMINGTON, N.J. Several card board “slide rule” type calculators are available that, de spite their apparent simplicity, provide a large amount of de tailed information about the growth of savings over time. The principle be hind them is that, even small amounts of money, especially if placed in tax-de ferred savings vehi cles (e.g., 40I(k)s and IRAs), will grow to significant sums over time. The large New York pension firm TIAA-CREF (800-842-2733) de veloped a slide rule, called “Tax Savings Calculator.” The cal culator shows the monthly tax savings available for various amounts contributed monthly to tax-de ferred plans (e.g., 401(k)s). The tax savings is calculated by multiplying the amount saved by a person's marginal tax bracket. On the flip side of the TIAA-CREF slide rule is another set of tables called "Compound Interest Calculator.” This calculator shows how much an inves tor can accumulate by making various monthly contribu tions that earn vari ous rates of interest over specified peri ods of time. Obvious ly, the longer one saves, and the more they earn on their money, the more they'll accumulate. Another helpful slide rule is the “401(k) Booster Cal culator” from Ad vantage Publications (800-323-6809). This calculator shows what investing just one percent more of your pay will grow to in a tax-deferred savings plan. For ex ample. one percent of a $30,000 salary is $3OO. For a 40-year old, an extra $3OO contributed each year to a 401(k) plan would grow to $33,835. got milk?