AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 20, 2003
OPINION
National Farm Safety And
Health Week, Sept. 21-27
What week could be more important to our farm families than Na
tional Farm Safety and Health Week (NFSH)?
This year’s theme, “Securing Your Farming Future Through Safety
and Health,’’'carries a strong message about the importance of securi
ty on America’s farms.
NFSH materials developed by the National Safety Council and
available on its Website (www.nsc.org/farmsafe.htm) suggest that
through increased awareness and education initiatives (such as those
promoted by AgrAbility for Pennsylvanians) aimed at protecting the
lives and livelihood of our agricultural producers, the nation’s abun
dance of food and fiber will be secure. This is the 60th annual national
observation of Farm Safety and Health Week.
Everyday, AgrAbility Project staff across the country provides in
formation and assistance to their clients-farmers, ranchers, and farm
workers who have sustained disabling injuries or have chronic health
conditions-that echo that message.
“AgrAbility staff help clients find ways to modify their operations,
equipment, and homes so that they can continue to live and work
safely,” said Linda Fetzer, project assistant for AgrAbility for Pennsyl
vanians. “Endorsing and disseminating this year’s NFSH message is
one way AgrAbility staff is working to achieve a primary AgrAbility
goal-helping those who have one disability avoid sustaining another.”
Fanners, ranchers, and farmworkers with any type of physical, cog
nitive, or sensory condition (for example, amputation, traumatic brain
injury, and hearing impairment) that limits their ability to do their ag
ricultural work or activities of daily living are eligible for AgrAbility
services. To date, more than 250 people have received assistance from
Pennsylvania’s AgrAbility Project.
To find out more about what AgrAbility for Pennsylvanians can do
for you, call toll-free within Pennsylvania at (866) 238-4434 or visit the
project’s Website at http://AgExtEd.cas.psu.edu/agrab/.
Let’s not only celebrate the week, let’s play it safe during harvest
season, use common sense, follow guidelines and restrictions on equip
ment, and pray for a good, safe harvest.
Saturday, September 20
N.E. Small Farm and Rural Living
Expo, Warren County Farmers’
Fairgrounds, Harmony, N.J., thru
Sept. 21, (570) 622-4225.
Farm Safety Day Camp, 4-H Center,
Bradford County Fairgrounds, 9
a.m.-2 p.m., (814) 623-8000.
All Dairy Antiques and Collectibles
Show, thru Sept. 25, Harrisburg
Farm Show Complex.
National Public Lands Day, National
Mall, Washington, D.C., (202)
298-1225.
Bloomsburg Fair, Columbia County,
thru Sept. 27, (570) 784-4949.
Lancaster Farmland Trust Old-fash
ioned Farm Picnic, Preserved
Farm In Leacock Township,
noon-5 p.m.
Lycoming County Fall Family Living
Day, Trinity United Methodist
Church, Montoursville, (570)
433-3040.
Cumberland County Trial Garden
Open House, Claremont Nursery
and Rehabilition Center, Carlisle,
9 a.m.-ll a.m., (717) 240-6500.
Woods Walk, Harry White’s Woods,
Cambridge Springs, Crawford
County, (814) 337-5678.
Creating a Wreath with Summer’s
Bounty, Lebanon Valley Ag Cen
ter, (717) 270-4391.
Maryland Wine Festival, Carroll
County Farm Museum, thru Sept.
21,(410)876-2667.
Catskill Mountain Ginseng Festival,
Catskill Point, Village of Catskill,
N.Y., 10 a.m.-5 p.m., (518)
622-9820.
Farm Tour 2003, Indiana County
Farm Bureau, Pleasant View
Farm, Marion Center, 1 p.m.-5
p.m., (724) 397-8115.
25,(717)787-2905.
Maryland Wine Festival, Amateur
Wine Judging, 1 p.m., (410)
848-7775.
Farm Safety Week, thru Sept. 27,
(410)848-7775.
Lebanon Valley Conservancy Tours,
(717) 272-3908, ext. 4.
Penn Ag Industries annual conven
tion, thru Sept. 23, Nittany Lion
Inn, State College, (717)
651-5920.
Monday, September 22
Fundamentals of Food Science Short
Course, Atherton Hotel, State
College, thru Sept. 26, (814)
865-8301.
Ephrata Fair, thru Sept. 27.
N.Y. Bakewell Center Field Day,
Little Alaska Farm, Walea,
Maine, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., (413)
477-8596.
Tuesday, September 23
Pa. Holstein Fall Championship
Show, Farm Show Building,
Harrisburg, 9 a.m.
Pumpkin Varity Twilight Meeting,
Schramm’s Farms and Orchards,
6:30 p.m., (724) 837-1402.
Morrison Cove Community Fair,
thru Sept. 26.
Presentation of Dressage, Devon,
(610) 644-1963.
Fall Family Living Day of Lycoming
County Extension, Trinity United
Methodist Church, 9 a.m., Ly
coming Creek Road, William
sport, 9 a.m., (570) 433-3040.
Mellon Community Brdige Project
Job Fair, Center for Arts and
Technology, Coatesville, 9 a.m.-2
p.m., (610) 725-9100.
Pesticide Update, Crawford County
Extend ' Kr Hyde F T>
(Turn to Page A 25)
To Control Mites
On Laying Hens, Pullets
During late summer and early fall,
birds and rodents begin to look for
more permanent shelters in which to
hide. As field harvest begins, natural
nesting areas are disturbed, pushing
rodents and birds toward poultry
housing. Capitol region poultry agent
Gregory Martin points out vigilance
is the key toward control.
Starlings and English sparrows
will carry fowl mites (Oraithonyssus
sylviarum) to a poultry house. These
insects will congregate at the base of
the feather shafts near the end of the
vent, looking very much like black
dust. No bigger than a grain of black
pepper, these insects will migrate
from bird to bird either in cage or
floor housing. It is not too uncom
mon to find them in nest boxes and
other areas where different birds con
gregate. As the mite population
grows and starts to reproduce, nests
WATCH
YOUR MOUTH!
Background Scripture:
James 3.
Devotional Reading:
Colossians 1:3-14.
We have seen that the writer of the
Letter of James is concerned with the
steadfastness of faith and the contin
uity between what a Christian be
lieves and does. James 3 is a contin
uation of that concern, but with a
very precise focus: the importance of
Christians exercising control over
what they say.
James does not agree with those
who shrug off the consequences of
what they say. He would never agree
that these are “just words” or “a slip
of the tongue.” For good or evil,
words can have powerful effects
upon people and the world.
Those who teach as Christians
must realize that their words can be
very harmful to others and them
selves. “Let not many of you become
teachers, my brethren, for you know
that we who teach shall be judged
with greater strictness” (3:3). Anyone
who has had the job of recruiting
Sunday school teachers will not like
ly appreciate this remark by James!
But this warning applies only to
those who are careless and do not
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will appear as white crusty clumps at
the base of the feather shaft. Mites
can be found on eggs, and will cause
discomfort to operators who work
with the birds or eggs.
Mites will complete an entire life
cycle in 1-2 weeks, and have both
nonfeeding and feeding cycles where
they attach themselves for a blood
meal on the bird. They can live up to
three weeks away from the birds and
will migrate from host to host if need
be.
In addition to wild birds, mechani
cal vector transmission is also a prob
lem. This includes the movement of
infested birds and eggs, nest materi
als or other supplies, and of course
humans who may spread mites from
house to house. Proper IPM proce
dure suggests that poultry operators
should scout by observing a sample
of birds periodically to determine
mite (and other pest) loads in flocks.
Control of mites includes surface
spraying of housing and, if necessary,
the birds themselves. Permethrin
based sprays do well to help control
the pest as well as carbamyl powders
that can be dusted into nest boxes.
Infested meat flocks only need to be
treated if they will be carried further
in time as with breeders, or if infesta
tion is causing a problem, such as
anemia in the birds.
Spray birds with sufficient pres
sure to undercoat the feathers near
the vent and to allow longer contact
of the material to effectively kill the
mites. Repeat the spray in 4-7 days if
heavy nests are found on the birds to
help control the next hatch. In cage
and breeder situations, remove all
eggs prior to spraying surfaces or
birds.
As infested flocks are sold, clean
the premises and surface spray to
knock down any residual mites that
may have survived the cleaning pro
cess. Boots should be worn and
dipped to help control transmission
take seriously their role. A teacher
teaches, not only with words, but also
his or her life.
What Is Left?
Theologian Soren Kierkegaard
once wrote about preachers in a vein
that applies also to teachers: “Order
the parsons to be silent on Sunday.
What is there left? The essential
things remain: their lives, the daily
life with which the parsons preach.
Would you, then, get the impression
by watching them, that it was Chris
tianity they were preaching?”
Actually, 1 think we ought not to
stop with preachers and teachers, but
should ask this question of all of us
who profess to be Christians.
People tend to underestimate the
power of the human tongue because
it is so small. But James pointedly
demonstrates that “small” does not
necessarily mean impotent. “If we
put bits into the mouths of horses
that they may obey us, we guide their
whole bodies. Look at the ships also;
though they are so great and are
driven by strong winds, they are
guided by a very small rudder wher
ever the will of the pilot direct
s How great a forest is set ablaze
by a small fire!” (3:3-5)
The Tongue As
A Window
We can use the power of speech
for good or evil. “With it we bless the
Lord and Father...” (3:9). We can
use it to lift up our neighbor, or to
put him or her down. We can speak
wisdom or drivel. We can inspire
people to noble deeds or we can
tempt them to evil. Just consider for
one moment all the misery, heart
ache, violence, prejudice, and de
struction have been caused by Chris
tians who have not learned to control
their tongues.
of mites from house to house on a
multiple flock farm.
As with all insecticides, read com
pletely all literature and labeling in
structions that come with the materi
al. Mix strictly to the required
concentration and apply as directed.
To Observe Farm
Safety Week Sept. 21-27
In 1942, President Franklin D.
Roosevelt declared the third com
plete week in September as National
Farm Safety and Health Week.
National Farm Safety and Health
Week is an annual observance of the
National Safety Council to commem
orate the hard work and sacrifices of
our nation’s farmers and ranchers.
During this year’s recognition, the
NSC will work with its agricultural
members and its partner in agricul
tural safety and health, the National
Education Center for Agricultural
Safety, to provide fact sheets and
other information, education and
training on farm safety, health and
security issues.
“Farm Safety & Health Week is a
time for all of us to thank the na
tion’s farmers and ranchers for their
important contributions in providing
food for our world,” said NSC Presi
dent Alem McMillan. “It is also a
time for fanners and ranchers to
focus on important safety and health
issues, including the safety of chil
dren and young adults that perform
farming duties, safe use of tractors
and equipment, and safe use of
guards and retrofits on farm machin
ery.”
Agriculture had the second-highest
rate of deaths because of uninten
tional injuries of any industry in
2002, with a rate of 21 deaths per
100,000 workers.
Quote Of The Week;
“An empty stomach is not a
good political adviser, ”
Albert Einstein
The problem is not with the tongue
itself, but the person in whose mouth
itvresides-and whose character i$ re
vealed by it. James uses analogies to
indicate that the source of the
tongue’s morality or immorality is
what is within us.
“Does a spring pour forth from the
same opening fresh water and brack
ish? Can a fig tree, my brethren,
yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No
more can salt water yield' fresh”
(3:11, 12). Often, when public figures
are quoted as having said something
that causes recriminations, they are
likely to excuse themselves, holding
that the words didn’t mean what
they seemed to say. But all too often,
our words are a window to what real
ly lies inside us.
Socrates once told a potential
pupil that he would have to charge
him a double fee. “Why?” the stu
dent wanted to know. Replied the
philosopher, “Because I must teach
you two things. The one how to hold
your tongue, and the other how to
speak!”
As the tongue goes, so goes the life
of the Christian. “Who is wise and
understanding among you? By his
good life let him show his Works in
the meekness of wisdom” (3:13).
What are the natural consequences
of the true follower of Jesus? “But
the wisdom from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, open to rea
son, full of mercy and good fruits,
without uncertainty or insincerity.
And the harvest of righteousness is
sown in peace by those who make
peace” (3:17,18).
Does that sound like anyone you
know?
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
Andy Andrews, Editor
Copyright 2003 by Lancaster Farming