Don't eat your seed corn.

This might be some of the oldest and most practical advice in existence, and the easiest to understand, too.

So why is it so hard for some to follow?

Since biblical times, farmers knew they had to set aside a portion of the harvest for planting. No matter how long or bitter the winter, they understood that eating the seed corn would leave them nothing to plant — and, consequently, nothing to harvest the following year.

It takes discipline to set aside a portion, particularly during lean times — periods of drought and cold when the harvest isn't good.

In the modern world, plantings and harvests tend to be more allegorical, with cash taking the place of seed corn. But the principle applies.

Butler County is establishing a new program based entirely on it.

In this instance, the seed corn is $500,000 from natural gas drilling impact fees. The cash will go into an infrastructure bank, to be lent at low interest to municipalities, authorities and school districts.

Mark Gordon, the county director of economic development and planning, is setting up the bank and will oversee it. Gordon, the retired general manager of AK Steel's Butler Works, was appointed to the post in April.

One specific benefit of an infrastructure bank is the availability of local matching funds. Federal grant programs typically require a local match, sometimes as little as 5 percent, to qualify. The county infrastructure bank provides one clear option for financing this local match.

It also will provide technical assistance — an assurance that applications for competitive funding are complete and feasible. To that end, the commissioners's agenda for the coming week includes discussion on the hiring of Herbert, Rowland & Grubic for $18,200 to help develop the process, including criteria for eligibility.

Across Pennsylvania, county and municipal governments have been criticized for spending impact fee money on general fund expenses. It's only fair and fitting to draw attention when our county makes plans to use it properly. Here is a prime example of setting aside some seed corn for the next planting.

Now if Harrisburg could only stop devouring every kernel of corn we send there.

The Republican-controlled Legislature passed a nearly $32 billion spending plan just under the midnight June 30 deadline — but that was six weeks ago, and they still have not been able to agree on a way to pay for it. They're still $1.5 billion short from last year's budget and $700 million shy for the fiscal year that began July 1.

The state collects a personal income tax of 3.07 percent, along with 58.3 cents a gallon on gasoline; $2.60 a pack for cigarettes, plus 6 percent sales tax; other taxes include: inheritance, realty transfer, hotel occupancy, beer, liquor, new tires, car rental, capital stock/foreign franchise, and a variety of altenative fuels ranging from jet fuel to compressed natural gas.

Then there's the share of lottery, casino and horse race winnings. And soon enough, projected income from medical marijuana sales.

Yet, with all these revenue streams, the state can't seem to set aside any of its seed corn without gobbling up all of it. A study released last week by the Pew Charitable Trust says there's no cash in Pennsylvania's rainy day fund — not enough to run state government for one hour. The fund had a $755 million balance eight years ago at the start of the Great Recesssion.

Seed corn planted in the local soil becomes even more important when there's none coming from the capital.

Only one other Pennsylvania county, Dauphin, has an infrastructure bank. It sustains itself with revenue from loan repayments. That's the plan here, too. The only difference is that Dauphin's bankroll started with liquid fuels tax revenue.

It's high time for Butler County to get back in the habit of putting some seed corn aside for future growth. Maybe the state should stop consuming every penny we send it and try to establish the same virtuous habit.