AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 1-, 2003
OPINION
Our Northern Readers
The State of New York Department of Agriculture and Markets
wrote in a letter to friends, dated Sept. 5 last year, about how viable
New York agriculture has become over the past decade and its growth
to come in the next 10 years.
For years, just like that quote from Sam Clemens (Mark Twain)
about stories of his demise being greatly exaggerated, so, too. New
York continues to prosper despite the stories you often hear about dis
tance to markets, unsuitable growing conditions, etc.
In fact, ag is a $3.4 billion industry in the state, ranking in the top
10 nationally in commodities. New York ranks third in the nation in
milk production and com silage production, according to Nathan L.
Rudgers, commissioner.
The state ranks six in the nation for fruits and vegetables.
“I am proud to say that we have some of the most progressive,
hard-working producers in the country producers who are focused
on leading our food and agricultural industry into an era of long-term
profitability,” Rudgers wrote.
A state survey recently noted that the vast majority of dairy farms
in New York are planning not to simply maintain their operations
over the next 10 years, but to grow them.
During a recent farmers meeting, state representatives handed out
brochures for some of the most notable, fertile regions in New York,
including Lewis County, Jefferson County, Oneida County, and St.
Lawrence County.
One thing we found surprising: did you know that more than 50
percent of the consumer wealth and population of the U.S. and Cana
da from New York is within a day’s drive? The state is home to Cor
nell and other excellent colleges and universities that provide a lot of
information you read about farming in your family farm newspaper.
Gov. George E. Pataki and Commissioner Rudgers should be com
mended for a plan and a method to re-inform the mythmakers about
living and making a viable farm life in New York.
Our readers stretch from North Carolina north to Canada. So we
welcome views about regions other than our traditional (but much be
loved) southeast Pennsylvania in our paper.
Saturday, February 1
Lawrence County Sheep and Wool
Meeting, Liberty Grange, 10
a.m.-3 p.m., (814) 865-4700.
Meat Goat Producers’ Conference,
Genetti Lodge and Conference
Center, Hazleto* 8:45 3:15
Applied Urban-Ag Interface
Editor
I found Dr. Ken Bailey’s com
ments on dairy trade issues in the
Jan. 11, 2003 issue of the Lancas
ter Farming to be quite interest
ing. I would like to comment on a
How To Reach Us
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Editor, Lancaster Farming
P.O. Box 609,1 E. Main St.
Ephrata, PA 17522
• By e-mail:
farming@lancnews.infi.net
Please note: Include your full
name, return address, and
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Lancaster Farming reserves the
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and the Future of Agriculture,
Embassy Suites Hotel, San Luis
Obispo, Calif., thru Feb. 4, (707)
265-9349.
Shade Tree Symposium, Lancaster
Host Resort, thru Feb. 4.
Monday, February 3
North American Fanners’ Direct
Marketing Conference and
(Turn to Page A 42)
few of the points that he made.
First, Bailey is correct that
Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC)
imports comprise a relatively
small percentage of total dairy
imports. However, I think that
the big issue here has been the
flagrant misuse of MPC. It seems
that a few cheese makers were
not satisfied with shortchanging
dairy farmers legally, so resorted
to illegal use of MPC to enhance
the bottom line. No one using it
has yet gone through the process
to get Generally Recognized as
Safe (GRAS) status for MPC
from the Food and Drug Admin
istration (FDA).
Secondly, Bailey is correct that
imports are not evil. However,
when they are used to devalue
domestic products, siphon money
(Turn to Page A 42)
To Prune The
Shrubs In Your Yard
Most gardeners generally consider
this the time of year to enjoy garden
ing through the stack of seed and
nursery catalogs that seem to arrive
daily. Snowflakes blowing by the
window definitely do not put one in
the mood for much outdoor work.
However, Tim Elkner, Lancaster
County horticultural agent, reminds
us there is some plant “maintenance”
that should be done during this time
of year that will help keep your
shrubs in top shape later in the grow
ing season. We almost always have a
brief warm spell sometime during the
winter and you should be ready to
use the more “temperate” weather to
start the gardening year.
Elkner points out late winter is the
traditional time to prune the shrubs
in your yard. The absence of leaves
makes the framework or branching
structure of these plants easier to see.
It also will make damaged or dis
eased shoots and branches easier to
spot.
Start by removing any crossing
and rubbing shoots. Then remove the
diseased and damaged branches as
A MINISTRY OF
ENCOURAGEMENT
Background Scripture:
Acts 4:32-37; 9:26,27; 11:19-30;
15:36-40.
Devotional Reading:
Hebrews 10:19-25.
As a brand-new minister in a sub
urb of Harrisburg, I had a very exalt
ed, if immature, vision of my mis
sion. Within one year 1 would
convert all of Paxtonia, within two
years, all of Lower Paxton Township
and by the end of three years, all of
Lower Dauphin County. It didn’t
work out that way, for, after five
years, when I left for another church,
I was still working on Paxtonia.
Many Christians may think un
realistically about Christian disci
pleship. We would all like to be a St.
Francis of Assisi or a Toyohiko Ka
gawa. There is nothing wrong with
that aspiration if we don’t let it inter
fere with seemingly less spectacular
opportunities.
Witnessing to the Good News is
not something for the special few, but
ali of us. Barnabas, who grasped
every opportunity to live his disci
pleship, is a shining example for ail
of us. He is mentioned only briefly in
Lancaster Farming
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Northeast Farm Communicators
well. Finally, cut out any other
branches that need to be removed to
improve the form of the plant.
It would be helpful to consult a
good book on pruning before you
start this process if you do not have
much experience in this area. Differ
ent types of shrubs require different
amounts and methods of pruning
and a good book will let you know
what is best for the plants in your
yard.
Remember to prune spring-flower
ing shrubs after they bloom in the
spring or else you might be removing
many of the flowers. You should al
ways remove damaged or diseased
branches whenever you see them,
even if the plant flowers early. There
is no reason to give the disease a
greater chance to spread throughout
your shrub!
You can also do some light prun
ing on your spring-flowering shrubs
if you want to force some flowers for
an early spring inside your home.
But save the major pruning cuts until
just after flowering.
Summer-flowering shrubs should
be pruned now. These plants form
their flowers on new growth, so you
will not be removing potential flow
ers when you cut out branches now.
Some evergreens can be pruned now
but others should not, especially
those that flower in the spring such
as rhododendron. Again, consult a
good reference book regarding the
proper time to prune your ever
greens.
Pruning evergreens can also be a
little tricky if you remove too much
wood. On some types of shrubs, they
will not be able start new shoots on
the remaining wood and you may be
left with a “hole” in part of the plant.
This is another good reason to con
sult a reference on pruning!
Another task you should complete
now is an annual “inspection” of all
of the plants in your yard. Some in
sect infestations that you nfay not
have noticed last year may be easily
visible now. Choose a sunny, warm
winter day to closely examine your
shrubs for pests and enjoy a little
time outdoors.
Gardening is a year-round hobby.
While some times of the year are
six of the Chapters of Acts (ailsto I
Cor. 9:6; Gal. 2:1,9,13; and Col. 4:10).
But, if we look closely, we will see
that his discipleship, though not so
dramatic, was very vital.
Called To Minister
Acts 4:36 tells us that his given
name is Joseph, a member of the He
brew tribe of Levi. Levites served var
ious functions in the temple, roles
secondary to that of the priests. Bar
nabas was from the island of Cyprus
and apparently of some means, for
he “sold a field which belonged to
him, and brought the money and laid
it at the apostles’ feet” (4:37). So he is
the kind of Christian who not only
hears what should be done, but does
it. Without people like Barnabas the
church would not have endured and
spread.
Barnabas, meaning “son of en
couragement,” is the surname given
him by the apostles. His gift to the
early church was the encouragement
he gave his fellow followers of Christ
through both his words and his ac
tions. Many who helped me most
throughout my life were those, begin
ning with my parents, who encour
aged me in my endeavors. Who
needs encouragement? Just about ev
erybody. There are opportunities
every day.
In Acts 11, the apostles, hearing of
many conversions in Antioch, sent
Barnabas to that city to report to
them what was happening there.
Barnabas was so encouraged by the
many converts that he decided to
stay on in Antioch for a while to es
tablish a congregation there. Acts
tells us “he was a good man, full of
the Holy Spirit and of faith” (11:24).
But Barnabas decided he would need
help and went to Tarsus to enlist the
aid of a new and untried disciple
named Saul (Paul).
busier than others, there is almost al
ways something to do in your yard.
So spend some time outdoors with
your shrubs this month both you and
your plant are sure to benefit from
the experience!
To Attend The
Mid-Atlantic Fruit
And Vegetable Convention
If you produce fruit or vegetables,
you don’t want to miss the great edu
cational opportunity at the Mid-At
lantic Fruit and Vegetable Conven
tion Feb. 4-6 at the Hershey Lodge
and Convention Center.
This tristate event features numer
ous presentations on a variety of top
ics as well as a huge trade show with
many commercial exhibitors.
Topics cover many aspects of pro
duction, including season extension
with high and low tunnels, labor is
sues, wholesale marketing, direct
marketing, and irrigation. Tree fruit
sessions include deer control, control
of pear diseases, calcium deficiency,
soil renovation in orchards, reducing
spray drift, and using the Global Po
sitioning System (GPS) in your or
chard. Greenhouse sessions include
raising greenhouse tomatoes, inte
grated pest management (IPM) pro
grams for greenhouses, ornamental
varieties for greenhouses, and the im
portance of water quality.
This year there are several wine
grape sessions with topics including
vineyard nutrition and grapevine tis
sue analysis, grape root borer, man
agement of fruit and foliar diseases
throughout the season, and canopy
management for yield and quality.
Potato sessions will address man
agement strategies for late blight and
other diseases, influencing chipping
quality in the field, and the challenge
of marketing specialty potatoes.
Other sessions focus on sweet com,
small fruit production, cut flower
production, and organic production.
Walk-in registrations are accepted,
so you can still attend even if you
have not registered.
Quote Of The Week:
“Even? problem has in it the
seeds of its own solution. If you
don’t have any problems, you don’t
get any seeds.”
Norman Vincent Peale
I doubt that any other Christian
leaders would have taken a chance
on Paul, who was better known for
his persecution of Christians than he
was for his conversion on the Damas
cus Road.
Playing Second Fiddle
Note that, in the beginning, it wds
“Barnabas and Said” (11:30), but by
the time we get to 13:43, it has be
come “Paul and Barnabas.” For the
sake of the gospel, Barnabas, seeing
Paul’s great abilities, was apparently
willing to let Paul assume the leader
ship. But, as they are planning their
third missionary journey, they disa
greed over including John Mark in
their party. Paul did not want him
along because the young disciple had
apparently left their group during
the previous journey. But Barnabas
wanted to give Mark another chance,
so they went their separate ways.
That, however, is not the end of
the story. It appears that Barnabas
was right in giving Mark another
chance because, approximately 10
years later, he was again working
with Paul (Col. 4:10; Philemon 24).
According to tradition, he founded
the church in the great Jewish-Greek
city of Alexandria, Egypt, where he
also died and was buried.
Unlike Paul and Peter, there are
not many churches named after Bar
nabas. But I think there should be,
because most of us are closer to his
level of discipleship than we are to
that of Peter and Paul. Maybe we
ought to start a Society of St. Barna
bas to spread the Good News with a
vital ministry of encouragement!
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Ephrata Review Building
I E. Main St.
Ephrata, PA 17522
—by—
Lancaster Farming, Inc.
A Stainman Enterprise
William J. Burgess General Manager
Andy Andrews, Editor
Copyright 2003 by Lancaster Farming