OPINION
Taste Of Agriculture
The state, county, and local fair season is under way. What a
great time of fun for farmers and city cousins alike. Farmers go to
the fair to see their neighbors and compare the exhibits, both animal
and vegetable, with what they have at home. The farm equipment
and service dealers play a large part of what’s to see at each local
fair, too.
We think the 132 fairs listed in Pennsylvania in addition to all
those listed in Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Delaware,
Virginia, and West Virginia, provide a good opportunity for the en
tire urban population to get a taste of agriculture under show condi
tions. Agriculture is dressed up to go to the fair, and this provides
the opportunity to bridge the gap between farm and city.
We know and lament the fact that some local farm fairs have de
emphasized the farm part of the exhibits in favor of the midway and
stadium entertainment. Nevertheless, farmers should support what
ever part of your local fair still caters to agriculture exhibits. And we
should work to restore more farm contact at the fairs.
At this time of year, plan to go the fair. You will have a good time
with friends. And you will help provide a window into agriculture
for all the urbanites in your local community.
Valley Expo Center, thru
Aug. 5.
Southwest Championship Hol
stein Show, Fayette Fair
grounds, Uniontown, 10 a.m.
Lebanon Area Fair, Lebanon
Fairgrounds, thru Aug. S.
Aquaculture Field Day, Piketon
Research and Extension
Center, Piketon.
West Central District Junior
Dairy Show, Grange Fair
grounds, Centre Hall, 9 a.m.
Carroll County 4-H/FFA Fair,
Clearfield County Fair, thru
Aug. 5.
Goshen County Fair, thru Aug.
Morrison Cove Dairy Show,
thru Aug. 5.
Potter County Fair, thru Aug. 5.
PDCA Judging Conference, Me
morial Park, Martinsburg.
Eastern Apicultural Society
Conference, Salisbury, Md.,
thru Aug. 4.
Farm Tour, Dough Dietz, Little
Valley, N.Y., 1 p.m.-3 p.m.
North Central District Dairy
Show, Troy, 10 a.m.
American Jersey Cattle Associa
tion Field Day, begins at
Pleasant Valley Jerseys
(Lester and Doug Martin and
Paul Holderman families),
Chambersburg, 9 a.m.
4-H State Achievement Days,
Penn State, thru Aug. 3.
Pa. Feeder Calf Roundup.
Ephrata Young Farmers
Summer Bus Tour, thru Aug.
5.
Farmers Market Tour, Warners
ing Contest, Penn State.
Ohio Vegetable Crops Field
Day, Fremont.
NRCS Pasture Walk, Phil Ott
Morrison Cove
morial Park, Martinsburg,. 9
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* Farm Calendar *
Northern Tier Holstein Champi
onship Show, Meshoppen
Fairgrounds, 10 a.m.
South Central District Dairy
Show, Shippensburg Fair
grounds, 9 a.m.
Frederick County Holstein
Meeting, Libertytown, Md.,
6:30 p.m.
Mastitis Meetings, Levi Esh,
Quarryville, 9 a.m.. Nelson
Weiler, Manheim, 7 p.m.
Regional Fruit Growers Meeting
and Pig Roast, Sunny Hill
Orchards (Slaybaugh’s),
Biglerville. 4:30 p.m.
Greene County Fair, thru Aug.
12.
Wayne County Fair, thru Aug.
12.
Fellowship of Christian Farmers
International Conference,
Comfort Inn, Sherwood
Knoll, Lancaster, thru Aug. 6.
Southwest District Dairy Show,
Morrison’s Cove Memorial
Park, Martinsburg.
Mastitis Meetings, Neffdale
Farms, Paradise, 10 a.m. and
E. Reiff, Mount Joy, 7 p.m.
Eastern Arabian Horse Show
East Coast Championship
and Country Fair, Quentin
Riding Club, Quentin, thru
Aug. 6.
Eastern Shore Threshermen and
Collector’s Association Inc.
4th Annual Old Time Wheat
Thrashing, Steam and Gas
Engine Show, Denton, Md.,
thru Aug. 6.
Lebanon County Holstein Show,
P Ivania Holstein Associa-
•ennsyl
tion Summer Picnic, Penn
wood Holsteins, Berlin.
Clinton County Fair, thru Aug.
12.
Washington County, Md. Fair,
Washington County Ag Ed
BediordCo^T^rtnruAug!
ounty
■edtorti
12
Transfer Harvest Home Fair,
thru Aug. 12.
Union County West End Fair,
thru Aug. 12.
Adams County ureau
Many Pennsylvania livestock
producers may find it to their
advantage to produce addition
al forages to feed to livestock.
As livestock producers con
sider their alternatives for for
ages to plant, August seeding of
several crops could be especial
ly beneficial.
Following are some sugges
tions from Dr. Marvin Hall,
Penn State extension forage
specialist.
Forage Brassica (rape or tur
nips) and small grains (wheat,
barley, rye, or triticale) offer
some opportunities for the pro
duction of late fall and early
STRONG ENOUGH?
Background Scripture:
Ephesians 6:10-24.
Devotional Reading:
John 14:15-27
The world in which we live is a
dangerous place. Daily, it is filled
with temptations, snares, and
trials. Even in one day’s time,
how often we find our commit
ment to Christ being put to some
kind of test?
In a book I use for my daily
devotions there is a prayer, the
Mozarabic Sacramentary,
“Grant us, O Lord, to pass this
day in gladness and peace, with
out stumbling and without stain,
that, reaching the eventide victo
rious over all temptation, we
may praise you, the eternal God,
who dost govern all things and
art blessed evermore; through
Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord.
Amen.’’
When I first came across this
prayer, 1 thought it a bit overdra
matic or pessimistic. It seemed
that my normal days were not
burdened with “stumbling” and
“stain" at least not on a daily
basis. Over the years, however, I
have become more realistic about
the subtle pitfalls that lie in wait
for us each day. When I go to
bed, if I truly examine my day in
the light of Christ’s presence, I
find that almost always I have
done what I ought not to have
done and not done what I should
have done.
air, t
Sin is not just a matter of not
living up to a set of rules, but of
failing to live the love of Christ
in every situation. I may keep all
the major rules, but fail to truly
follow Jesus in the myriad of ev
To Consider
Expanding Forage
Production
Living The Love
winter pasturing. Interested
farmers who can take advan
tage of grazing should contact
their county Penn State Coop
erative Extension office and ob
tain a copy of Agronomy Facts
33, “Use of Brassica Crops to
Extend the Growing Season,”
and Agronomy Facts 41,
“Strategies for Extending the
Grazing Season.” These fact
sheets contain a lot of informa
tion related to growth charac
teristics of these plants, method
of establishment, fertility, and
grazing management.
To Consider
Small Grains
For Grazing
During last year’s drought,
many livestock and dairy farm
ers found that fall-seeded oats
also make an excellent pasture
for late fall grazing.
Robert Anderson, Lancaster
County extension agronomy
agent, reports that oats planted
in mid to late September will
grow until almost Christmas
most years in Lancaster Coun
ty. During this time, the crop
will often reach a height of 14
to 16 inches. Rye, wheat, and
barley may also be used in this
manner.
However, their growth is less
vigorous in the fall and total
production for fall grazing is
less. This is because these crops
do not tiller until the following
growing season. All of these
make an excellent winter cover
crop if the forage is not needed.
In addition to reducing erosion
during the winter, they will add
organic matter to the soil.
eryday choices and challenges:
the time I give to others, the
ways in which I respond to
them, my willingness to give my
attention to those who want it,
the way I drive my car, my atti
tude when I’m shopping well,
you get the idea.
Every day of my life and
yours is chock-full of chal
lenges to my Christian disci
pleship.
Life requires an enormous
amount of spiritual strength.
Ephesians recognizes that need:
“... that you may be able to
stand against the wiles of the
devil. For we are not contending
against flesh and blood, but
against the principalities, against
the powers, against the world
rulers of this present darkness,
against the spiritual hosts of
wickedness in the heavenly
places” (6:llb,12). This evil is of
cosmic proportions, a potent
force in every life and, if we de
spair our lack of sufficient spirit
ual strength, we are half right.
But we do not have to face it
“by ourselves.” God will give us
the power to withstand these
dangers if we will permit him
to do so. “Put on the whole
armor of God, that you may be
able to stand against the wiles of
the devil.” As fearsomely im
pressive as are the forces of evil
that confront us, the power God
offers us is even more impres
sive. “Therefore take the whole
armor of God, that you may be
able to withstand in the evil
day ...” (6:13).
God offers us sufficient
strength but we must seek and
accept it as Ephesians says,
“... take the whole armor of
God” (italics mine).
The Whole Armor
The author makes an analogy
between the strength God offers
us and the armor worn by sol
diers in those days. What it
means is that, when we are con
fronted by the challenge of evil,
we must not fail to hold on to
,v ‘ »v.
To Consider
Small Grains
For Silage
According to Dr. Marvin
Hall, Penn State extension for
age specialist, small grains
(oats, rye, and wheat) should be
planted as soon as possible and
harvested for silage in the milk
to soft dough stage.
Generally, the milk stage is
less desirable than the early
dough stage because it is less
palatable and studies indicate
that animal performance is re
duced. Moisture levels should
be between 60 to 70 percent for
best ensiling of small grains.
Small grain silage below 60
percent is difficult to pack and
excessive heating and nutrient
loss may occur. In addition,
make sure the theoretical
length of cut is less than Vs of
an inch long. Minimizing
length of cut helps prevent
heating and maintains forage
quality of small grain silage.
In Pennsylvania, a study was
conducted at Landisville com
paring several crops planted on
Aug. 5 and then harvested for
silage. Com was harvested on
Oct. 5 and yielded 1.5 tons per
acre with 61.2 percent TDN.
Oats was harvested in the soft
dough stage and yielded 2.1
tons per acre with 75.8 percent
TDN. Rye was harvested in the
soft dough stage and yielded
2.1 tons per acre with 68.4 per
cent TDN.
Feather Prof.'s Footnote:
“I have no special talents. /
am only passionately curi-
ous. ”
Albert Einstein
truth, righteousness, tl\e gospel,,
of peace, faith, salvation, the
word of God, prayers and suppli
cations.
Evil gains the advantage over
us whenever, for the sake of
short-term relief, we are willing
to let go of any of these com
promising the truth and adulter
ating righteousness, temporarily
suspending the gospel of peace
and replacing it with belliger
ence, and allowing our faith to
waver and make ourselves vul
nerable to “the darts of the evil
one.”
I have sometimes found that,
when under siege, I tend to for
get to rely on my God-given
armor. I become so fearful that I
allow my faith to waiver, being
so preoccupied by the threats
that I fail to resort to my best re
source. So when the going is the
hardest, that is the very time we
need to make time to “Pray at all
times in the Spirit, with all pray
er and supplication. To that end
keep alert with all perseverance,
making supplication for all the
saints...” (6:18).
No, we do not have on our
own enough strength to meet the
threat of evil, but, if we open our
selves in prayer to God in Christ,
we enable him to give us all the
strength we will need. His an
swer to our prayer may not be an
escape route from the danger,
but the strength to meet and
withstand it.
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 Editor
Copyright 2000 by Lancaster Farming
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