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AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 6, 2001
OPINION
See You At The Show(s)
Can you believe it? The year 2000 is past with its Y2K anticipa
tion and the New Year 2001 is already several days old. The coldest
winter since 1989 is in progress with the last 16 days reported below
normal in temperature. And we have also had snow earlier than
usual. The good old days of January are back.
But when you talk about the New Year and winter weather in an
editorial, you know it must be about Farm Show time.
This year we have two farm shows to attend. The showcase of ag
riculture with 9,000 entries in 33 departments is again scheduled in
Harrisburg at the Farm Show Complex. This traditional trek to the
capitol city for farmers is scheduled to run from Saturday, Jan. 6 to
the following Thursday, Jan. 11. Not only do you have more than
325 commercial exhibitors and 11 commodity associations partici
pating, you have family living, youth, and agricultural learning cen
ter exhibits. And don’t forget the animals 651 beef cattle, 529
dairy animals, 323 dairy goats, 148 horses, 800 poultry exhibits, 690
rabbits, 984 sheep, and 714 swine.
Of course, Gov. Ridge is scheduled to take his annual tour and
preside over the official opening of the show on Saturday. And the
youth livestock auction will again be a part of the final day’s events.
The Keystone Farm Show at the York Fairgrounds runs concur
rently from Tuesday, Jan. 9 to Thursday, Jan. 11. Here the farm
community, as in past years, is invited to gather and view the com
mercial exhibits of agribusiness without the interference of the gen
eral public. While the public relations aspect from farm to consumer
is missing, farmers can view the products and services of more than
300 commercial exhibitors.
This is the first year both shows run the same week. So you will
need to decide which one to visit. Lancaster Farming has a booth
at both of them. So either way we’ll see you at the show. Or maybe
you will also decide to go to both of them. In this case, we will hope
to see you twice.
Pennsylvania State Farm Show,
Farm Show Complex, Harris
burg, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., thru Jan.
11.
Pennsylvania Hereford Associa
tion Meeting and Banquet,
Ilarrisbun^!arnott_^^^^
P r ->svlvania Angus A,
ennsylvania Angus Association
Membership Banquet, Holi
Ice Cream Short Course, Nit
tany Lion Inn, University
Park, thru Jan. 18.
Pa. State FFA Convention,
Farm Show Complex, 4:30
p.m.
Octorara Young Farmer meet
ing, Octorara High School,
Keystone Farm Show, York
Fairgrounds, thru Jan. 11.
Eastern Pa. Turf Conference
and Trade Show, Valley
Forge Convention Center,
King of Prussia, thru Jan. 1..
Ephrata Area Young Farmers
Introduction To Ephrata
School District Demo Farm,
Ephrata High School, 7:30
p.m.
Great Lakes Vegetable Growers’
Convention and Farm Market
Show, Grand Center, Grand
Rapids. Mich.
- Con!?
national iSo-Tillage confer
ence, Omni Netherland Plaza,
; Cincinnati, Ohio, thru Jan.
B. “
North American Berry Confer
•, enctt Sheraton Fallsview
Rescue Hose Co., Greencas
tle, Franklin County exten
sion office, 9:30 a.m.-ll a.m.
♦ Farm Calendar ♦
* r ' rj*sJ!fJ li*
Organic Grain Marketing, Kutz
town University’s The Blue
Room. Kutztown.
Inn at Reading, Wyomissing,
6:30 p.m., thru Jan. 13.
Susquehanna Regional Vegeta
ble Meeting, Carriage Corner,
Mifflinburg.
DaupmnCountyDHlTßam
quet, Country Buffet Restau
rant, 11 a.m.
Charting the Future of Berks
Agriculture, Penn State
Berks-Lehigh Valley College,
Farm Computerized Accounting
Workshop, Lancaster Farm
and Home Center, also Jan.
19,23, and 26.
New Holland Vegetable Day,
Yoder’s Restaurant, 9:30
a.m.-3:30 p.m.
North American Farmers’
Direct Marketing Association
Conference and Trade show,
Sheraton-Mesa Hotel and the
Community Conference
Center, Mesa, Ariz., thru Jan.
Jersey Annual Vegetable
Meeting, Taj Mahal, Atlantic
City, N.J., thru Jan. 18.
Northeast Dairy Industry, Man
aging A Hispanic Workforce,
Raddison Penn Harris Hotel
and Convention Center,
Camp Hill, also an. 18 at Mar
riott thruway Hotel, Roches
ter, N.Y.
Annual Meeting of Farm and
Home Foundation, Lancaster
(Turn to Pago A 42)
The 2001 edition of the Penn
sylvania State Farm Show opens
this weekend.
The Farm Show opens Jan. 6
and runs to Jan. 11 at the Farm
Show Complex in Harrisburg.
The show includes commercial
and educational exhibits, live
stock shows, numerous family
living and agricultural products,
demonstrations, and many con
tests.
No Farm Show would be com
plete without a visit to the food
court to taste Pennsylvania’s fin
est food products.
While at the Farm Show, be
sure to stop by at the Penn State
booth located in the main exhibit
hall. This year’s booth will fea
ture Ask the Experts about home
horticulture, food safety, crop
production, soil management,
*, K ye
j.* ** i *
QUITTING WHILE
HE’S AHEAD?
Background Scripture:
Luke 4:14-30.
Devotional Reading:
Isaiah 61.
It was a good sermon —up to ration of the Kingdom of Israel,
a point. The preacher began with a °d the overthrow of their
a stirring passage from Isaiah: Roman occupiers. What they
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon looked for was comfort for the
me, because he has anointed me middle class, not liberation for
to preach good news to the poor” the underlings of their society.
(Isaiah 61:1,2; Lk 4:18). He ex- They wanted respectable words,
cited them when he proclaimed, not a call to change their world.
“Today this scripture has been They wanted him to remind
fulfilled in your hearing” (4:21). them how special they were in
Imagine that a portion of God’s eyes. Instead, he painfully
prophecy fulfilled this very day reminded them that God’s grace
in their presence! is with the very ones whom they
Had he quit at just this point, regarded as their spiritual infert
ile would have been ahead be- ors: the poor, the prisoners, and
cause the people in the syna- victims of oppression,
gogue were bowled over by this As they saw it, this was good
native son. They were amazed at news to the “wrong” people. But
the “gracious words which pro- Jesus reminded them that often
ceeded out of his mouth” and that’s the way it is with God. In
they couldn’t help asking, “Is not a time of famine, Elijah the
this Joseph’s son?” They did not prophet was sent to Zarephath,
expect to hear this from one who a lowly widow of Sidon. Al
had originated in their midst, though there were probably
But he, did not stop right there thousand* of lepers in Israel, Eli
and, continuing onward, he id* she Wip sent to cleanse the lep
stantaneously changed their ad- rosy pf * a despised foreigner,
miration to fury. One moment the Syrian. What Jesus
they were praising him; the next,*. ; s«d to them seemed a deliberate
they wanted to lynch him. ,Qrc£ Effort to ipsult them;
that point had been reached, ' '■«
there was no turning back. # */ f * ’fighting Words
Thi teachings and preachings
Hometown People of Jcsps, however, are never in-
So, what was that point insult us, to stir us to
which Jesus passed from warm anger although that is often
acclamation to harsh condemna- wlwU,hap|Sc*is. An old preacher
tion? It was when he made it dhc# told me that, if over the,.
To Enjoy
Pennsylvania
Farm Show
and accessing information over
the Internet. Also there will be
sections highlighting forest re
sources, integrated pest manage
ment, and West Nile Virus. Plan
now to attend this year’s Farm
Show and enjoy all it has to
offer.
To Prepare For
Winter Storms
The recent winter storm warn
ings remind us we are now in the
heart of the winter storm season.
A fast-moving winter storm
may mean high winds, snow, icy
precipitation, and falling trees.
These conditions can cause un
predictable interruptions to your
electrical service. Some precau
tions you should take include:
• Test your standby generator
on a weekly basis. Make sure you
have a full fuel source on hand.
• Keep a battery-powered
radio, flashlight, and plenty of
fresh batteries on hand and
where you can find them in the
dark.
• Avoid the use of candles.
Mishandled or unattended can
dles could cause a fire when all
public safety resources are
strained.
• Fill a tub, several large bot
tles, or pots with water. Your
water supply could stop if your
home uses a well and pump. Ad
ditionally, power outages could
affect municipal water treatment
and pumping facilities.
• A fully loaded freezer can
keep food cold for 36 to 48 hours
if the door remains closed. Re
frigerated foods spoil faster and
may only be safe if used within a
few hours. If you have any ques
tions, call the USDA Meat and
Poultry Hotline at (800)
535-4555.
To Keep Calves
And Heifers Healthy
clear that the prophecy which he
was fulfilling that day was not a
hometown-boy-makes-good
event, but a warning that as Is
raelites they did not have God in
their pockets. Hometown people
want the hometown boy or girl
to make them feel pride and
gratification. But Jesus’ appear
ance in his was not to gain per
sonal popularity, but to proclaim
the radical good news of God
“good news to the p00r... re
lease to the captives... liberty
(to) those who are oppressed.”
What they wanted was for
him to speak of the resurgence
of the throne of David, the resto-
Calves and heifers experience
more disease during the winter
than any other time. It is impor
tant to take precautions to keep
animals healthy and growing*
according to Dr. Jud Heinrichs,
Penn State professor of dairy sci
ence extension.
Changeable weather, cold tem
peratures, and dampness all con
spire to make winters tough for
calves. In addition, bams are
closed up. With marginal venti
lation, dampness, toxic gases,
and disease organisms build up.
All respiratory infections are re
ported more frequently during
the winter. Diarrhea diseases
also are more frequent and more
severe.
Some tips to keep animals
healthy are;
• Use maternity pens for calv
ing cows only, not dry or sick
cows. Do not keep cows in these
pens any longer than necessary
to minimize excess manure
buildup. Keep the pens clean and
well bedded with long stem bed
ding.
• Provide adequate ventila
tion in maternity and young
stock facilities to reduce moisture
and buildup of toxic gases. Avoid
drafts. Ensure early, high quality
colostrum intake.
• Feed three quarts of colos
trum as soon as possible after
birth, then feed a minimum of
four quarts within the first eight
hours of life.
• Plan and implement a herd
vaccination program with your
veterinarian. Check young stock
twice daily for early signs of ill
ness. Seek veterinary help for
early diagnosis and prompt treat
ment of sick calves. Herd re
placements are too valuable to
get anything but first-rate care.
Feather Profs Footnote:
“Effort and courage are not
enough without purpose and
direction. ” .
years my sermons didn’t upset
some of my people some of thl
time, then I wasn’t preaching the
gospel of Christ all of the time.
The good news is intended not to
make us angry, but to make us
humble.
From time to time we all need
to be humbled in Christ’s pres
ence. Beholding his absolute
goodness in the scriptures and in
the lives of others is meant to call
us to repentance and transforma
tion.
Secular judges sometimes
speak of what they will or will
not “tolerate in my courtroom,”
and I want to remind that judge
that this is not his or her court
room, but the court of the people.
Similarly, let us not speak and
act positively of “my church.”
The church does not belong to
me because I am its minister, nor
to a single family who make sub
stantial financial contributions,
nor to a group of “old-timers”
who grew up in it.
The church belongs to Christ,
as we do, too. In fact, Christ does
not belong to us; it is the other
way around. He includes within
his embrace lots of “others”
whom we would exclude. But we
cannot embrace the good news of
Jesus Christ without embracing
as well the poor, the captives, the
sick and the oppressed. Jesus
never quits when and where we
think he should.
Lancaster Farming
Established 19S&
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Revj«W Bedding
1 E. Sfafc St.
Ephrata, PA 17522
-by-^
Lancaster Fanning. Inc.
A arnmman EnlMjhjfim
WHM«n J. Burgess Gamral itanagar
Evarett R. Newswadger Editor
Copyright 2000 by Lancaster Farming