HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1956-08-09, Page 9/
Grand Bend
Now Second
Vegetable Garden
Largest In Ontario
List Topics
GARDEN DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES—Grand Bend’s Klondyke Gardens are now
the second largest vegetable-producing area in the province and they have the po
tential to match the famous Bradford marsh in Simcoe County. Middlesex farmers,
who inspected the gardens Tuesday, saw this onion topping machine in operation.
CO-OP PLANT EXPANDS—Growers in the Klondyke Gardens this year added a major
addition to their one-year-old storage plant which doubles packaging capacity. Growers
harvest and bag their own vegetables using modern machines. Here, Theo Kelders,
his son Johnny and his wife show Freeman Hodgins,. McGillivray, and W. K. Riddell,
Middlesex agricultural representative, how the potato bagger works. Middlesex farmers
inspected the gardens during their soil and crop tour Tuesday. —T-A Photo
__________________________________________ ______________:__________ - ' ' ' ' __________.________■ ____________________
Juniors See TCA Airliner,
Visit New Woodbine Track
For Forums
Here’s a tentative list of some
of the subjects you’ll talk over
together when Farm Forum
meetings start again In the fall.
How do they strike you?
1. Where are we going in farm
organizations? Can farmers’
interest be best served
through a direct membership
organization or through a
federation of existing farm
groups,
2. Do women shoppers deter
mine the price of farm pro
ducts? A question of special
interest to women, urban or
rural.
3. How can agriculture achieve
parity?
4. A soil bank, Should farmers
be paid to take land out of
, production to meet the pro
blem of surpluses and pro
vide for soil conservation?
5. Farm Marketing—how much
regulation is necessary for
orderly marketing of <. farm
products; should farmers in
vest in marketing?
6. Planning the farm program.
7. What makes a good com
munity? The changing pat
tern of the rural community
—how do existing organiza
tions fit into it? Are new
needs being met?
8. Are we farming efficiently?
Can farmers afford to take
advantage of modern scienti-’
fie and technical methods in
agriculture? •
9. Can farm mechanization be
reduced? Are farmers carry-
, ing too much overhead in
farm machinery?
10. What interest do farmers and
labour have in common?
11. Milk for Canadian ■ schools!
Should a program be devel
oped to supply milk to school
children?
12. Are farmers buying effi
ciently?
Also suggested is a topic of
citizenhip, not directly concerned
with agriculture but an issue of
concern to Canadians general
ly. Plans are to keep the year’s
program flexible, leaving time
for discussion of “hot topics.”
| Klondyke Gardens, at Grand i
Bend, is now the second largest I
vegetable - producing marshland 1
in Ontario, government officials!
told 200 farmers attending the!
Middlesex Soil and Crop Im-1
provement tour Wednesday af
ternoon. j
The fabulous, last-growing veg
etable mine near the Lake Hur-1
on shore is surpassed in size j
only by the famous Bradford
marsh. And it may not take
many years before the Grand Bend operation equals the Sim
coe county area.
The Klondyke farriers culti
vated 300 acres in Lake Smith
for the first time this year to
bring their total acreage to 1,650,
which surpasses the Point Pelee
marsh.
Arnold Truax, supervisor of the
Ontario Department of Agricul
ture inspection branch at the
Klondyke, told the Middlesex
farmers the area his a potential
of 7,500 acres, which would make
it as large as the Bradford
marsh.
Develop Lake Smith
Development of famous Lake
Smith, drained in 1955, is expect
ed to mushroom during the next
few years. Over 750 acres of the
2,500-acre lake have been sold
and 300 are already under culti
vation.
; Farmers are planning an ex
tensive drainage and irrigation
system to make the rest of the
lake tillable. Bill Schlegel, man
ager of the Hagmeier farm which
owns the lake, predicts the land
“will become the best garden
plot in. Canada” through the in
dustriousness and < ingenuity of
the Dutch and Belgium farmers
who are taking it over. He called
the vegetable- producing New
Canadians “terrific” farmers who
get up before dawn and labor
in the fields until sundown.
To date, 36 farmers have join
ed the Klondyke Gardens Co
operative Ltd. which packages
and markets the vegetable prod
ucts. Evidence of the growth of
the operation is seen in the erec
tion of an addition to the co-op
plant which is larger than the
original building. The storage
plant, built in 1955, was only in
operation one year when the ad
dition became necessary. The
co-operative is already talking
about constructing a second ad
dition.
Then new addition, which en
larges the plant to 100x87, houses
a potato bagger, celejy washer,-
onion grader and carrot sizer.
Promotes “Gold Rush" Brand
The co-operative is promoting
its brand name of “Gold Rush”
vegetables. Most of the smaller
vegetables are packaged in spec
ially designed bags containing
the co-op trademark and this
year head lettuce is being mar
keted under this name. Soon,
“Gold Rush” potatoes will be on
markets in principal Canadian
and U.S. cities.
The Klondyke’s markets are
expanding, too. For the first
time, a shipment of vegetables
went out to New York this week.
J. J, Johnston, supervisor of
the fruit and vegetables division
Ontario,” he said, “and the let
tuce is as good as can be found
anywhere.”
Visit Hagmeier Farm
Visits to the Klondyke Gardens
and the neighboring Haig farm
were highlights of the Middlesex
tour, conducted by Agricultural
’ ' — " Riddell.of the Canadian Department of I Representative W. K, _____„„
Agriculture pointed out the rapid i Attendance was down because of
growth of the gardens. _ “Ten: the perfect harvesting weather. _
years ago,” he said, “this area j The 2j*____,
was largely a wilderness of/’ ' ' x “ -- -----
marshland.”
Under cultivation this year are
442 acres of carrots, 488 acres of
potatoes, 235 acres of head let
tuce, 128 acres of celery, 120
acres of seed onions, 42 acres
of turnips and 27 acres of radish
es, •
Quality of the Klondyke veg
etables is near the highest in
Canada according to Inspector
Truax, “They produce better
onions here than in any part of
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Down To
Earth
By D. I. HOOPER
o
Crop Production
No two years are alike. Last i of net profit could not be asses-
ri By ARTHUR S. BOLTON
Huron Ass’t Ag Rep
Seventy-three junior farmer and
Junior institute members were up
bright and early last Saturday,
July 28 to take part in the Huron
County Junior Farmer bus tour
to Toronto. The two buses start
ed their journey at 5:30 a.m.
and by 6:30.a.m. had left Huron
County.
The first stop on the tour was
at tile well-known Rosafe’ Farms
on No. 7 Highway just west of
Brampton. Here the Juniors saw
the Holstein herd sire and the
new 60’xllO’ barn with the self-
supporting roof. The farm is
owned by Dr. Estengle of the I the new 18 million 'dollar est-
Argentine, who owns several ablishment. I think everyone
farms of that size. a agreed that this was the Jhigh-
From-there we went to Malton light of the tour to Toronto and
Airport and found it to be a very 11 feel sure everyone will go back
busy place. From the observa
tion platform the group observed
several flights leaving and ar
riving. While at Malton special
arrangements, were made with
the T.C.A, to tour through one
of their Super Constellation- Air
craft. It was the first time a
number of those on the tour had
been in an airplane of any size.
The tour went to the new
Woodbine race track from which
we could see Malton Airport and
we were able to go all through
We Are Buyers Of
Storage Arranged
Satisfaction Guaranteed
MORE SCANDAL TRAVELS’
OVER THE 'PHONE TODAY
THAN EVER WAS SPILLED
OVER THE BACK FENCE/
Timothy,
Alfalfa,
Red Clover
We Do
CUSTOM CLEANING
some day to see the races and
make some money.
From new Woodbine a hurried
trip was made to the Master
Feed Farms just east of Lang
staff for a late lunch and a tour
of the farms. The group were
supplied with ice cream and
chocolate milk, compliments of
Master Feeds. After an interest
ing tour of the beef, dairy, swine
and poultry buildings we went
down town, in Toronto for a spec
ial tour through Casa Loma. I
am sure the Juniors all en
joyed their tour through Can
ada’s Famous Castle.
Although the tour started early
in the morning, time was begin
ning to run out and ambition
was beginning to lag. Most of
the Juniors had walked several
miles and up and down several
hundred stairs. At approximate
ly 5;45 the buses were parked
near the Tivoli Theatre and
everyone enjoyed a couple of
hours free time when* they could
have dinner and rest up before
meeting again at the Tivoli for
the Todd-ao presentation of “Ok
lahoma”. which I am sure every
one enjoyed.
At midnight the buses left
Toronto and approximately three
and one-half hours later every
one arrived safely back in Hur
on County.
Says Agency
Holds Prices
The president of the Ontario
Hog Producers’ Co-operative, Mr.
Charles McInnis, stated last week
that there is a well-organized
effort on the part of processors
of .pork to break the - price of
hogs paid, to farmers. Mr. Mc
Innis said that last week’s level
of 29lA<f a lb. back to 27$ per
lb. for hogs was off-set today
through the efforts of the On
tario Hog Producers’ Marketing
Agency.
On Monday, July 30, Mr. McIn
nis stated that no processors in
Ontario or Quebec had bid the
agency more than 27$ per lb.
On the morning of July 31, he
said' the packer organization
broke and the Ontario hogs mov
ed at the price level of 28<* and
some at the price of 28’4 tf.
In the face of resistance by
processors to price asked by the
Marketing Agency, prices were
maintained at a level very close
to that asked by the Marketing
Agency,
The Ontario Hog Producers’
Marketing Agency reaffirmed its
contention that had all hogs been
on the open market the price to
the producers would have held
to the 29J4^ level this week. Mr.
McInnis said that with the con
sumer price of ham ranging
from 95 to1 99<f per lb. and week
ly hog marketing in Canada av
eraging 100,000, and considering
the average export ar.d domestic
disappearance of pork for June,
1956, at 120,000 per week, the
Ontario Hog Producers’ Market
ing Agency refused to sell at
the ridiculously low prices the
packers offered.
Mr. McInnis urged all produc-
HONOR GROWER- — H. H. G.
Strang, of R.R. 1 Hensail, sec
ond vice-president of the Ontario
Soil and Crop Improvement As
sociation, was elected to Robert
son Associate membership at the
annual meeting of the Canadian
Seed Growers’ Association held
in Amherst, N.S. One of seven
farmers in Canada to be honor
ed by the Association, Mr. Strang
is the first in Huron county to
get the award. It is given in rec
ognition of excellence in grow
ing registered seed.
year practically all the harvest
was finished by the end of July.
This year most of us were hard
ly started by the first of August
and perhaps will be lucky to be
finished by Labor Day. In spite
of the lateness of the season this
year cereal grains have made
phenomenal, almost tropical
growth.
This rapid growth has made
apparent soil deficiencies that
have been hidden for a number
of years. Insufficient supplies of
phosphorus and potash, which
are essential for top production,
have shown-up in lodged grains.
This lack coupled with a weak-
strawed variety can, and will,
cost thousands of dollars this
year in the grain fields.
In: some cases we have seen
losses that can be estimated as
high as 50%. The farms where
the erdp rotation has placed fall
wheat, oats and barley on the
low-lying sections are the most
badly hit, but even on the high
er areas considerable lodging is
going to be a headache.
Discuss Varieties
At the twilight meeting last
week of the Huron County Soils
and Crop Improvement Associa
tion where the rod row test pkts
of the various cereals were view
ed at the County Home Farms,
Clinton, many comments were
heard regarding the merits of
the various varieties. Some were
badly lodged and others were
standing up even under adverse
conditions. Certain varieties
showed serious rust damage and
mildew was very, much in evid
ence on the barley varieties.
Just how much these different
diseases and deficiencies mean
on the yield per acre in.terms
sed at that time, although it is
considerable. To obtain a true
picture of the overall situation
it would be necessary to obtain
the. yields per acre under practi
cal conditions of the various var
ieties over a period of a number
of years. The rod row test plots
give nothing more than a guide
to the farmers interested in the
newer varieties of grains. Unless
the farmer follows up the in
formation made available from
the records of these test plots
for this area for the past num
ber of years he could still make
the wrong decision for his farm,
Many Influential Factors
The factors which influence the
yields of cereal grain crops may
be listed in order of importance:
environmental conditions (climat
ic and soil), plant diseases, seed,
cultural practices, weeds and in
sects.
Since the weather is one fac
tor which is uncontrollable, it is
usually given the credit by farm
ers for the big crops and blamed
by them for the small ones.
There is a certain amount of
truth in this point of view. The
factors which operate to give re
liable grain, yields every year
are Worth investigating.
It is to them that we should
look for the answers to the prob
lem of producing higher yields
of grain as well as keep up with
the research of new varieties
being carried on by Ontario De
partment of Agriculture through
the county units of the Soil and
Crop Improvement Association.
DID YOU KNOW?
Cainotophobia-There’s a won
derful word. It tells what ails a
lot of people. The definition is
“morbid dread of anything new.”
—Farm Journal
i Middlesex farmers and
their families toured the co-op
erative plant and watched th*
New Canadians harvesting their
crops in the rich, black fields.
Then they proceeded to the Haig
farm to see the large operation#
there.
Haig manager, Bill Schlegel,
said there are 2,800 acres und,r
cultivation on the farm. Up until
last year, the acreage totalled
5,000 but 1,200 was sold to th*
New Venice Corporation, an Ital
ian concern which owns several
other large farms in Ontario.
About 1,000 acres of the Haig
farm is in soy beans; 600 in
corn; 400 in wheat; 100 in bar
ley and 100 in oats. “There’#
nothing unusual about our op
erations,” said Manager Schleg
el, “except for thejr size.”
Yields on the farm have been
as high as 80 bushels of wheat
to the acre, 90 bushels of oat#
and over 100 bushels of corn.
An old barn, which has been
converted into a grain elevator
to store 25,000 bushels of grain,
was inspected by the visiting
farmers.
Break Up 200 Acres A Year
About 200 acres a year ar*
broken up and put under cultiva
tion on the Haig farm and th*
Middlesex visitors saw some of
the land being worked up thi#
year. The land is covered with
huge ragweed, standing as high
as 10 feet, which restores ele
ments to the soil which wer*
lost in a major fire which swept
over the area years ago. A large
breaker plow, whifeh cuts a 21-
inch furrow, is used to turn over
the ground.
Officials of the New Venic*
Corporation Ltd., including Pres
ident Albert Delitala and Vice-
President Francis Molinari, de
scribed the operation of their
farm. Although it'only employ#
four men, the corporation grows
550 acres of corn, 170 acres of
soybeans, 150 acres of barley
and 72 acres of beets.
Farmers were particularly in
terested in the sugar beets which
are turning into a bumper crop.
President Delitala said the corp
oration broadcast 600 pounds of
2-12-200 fertilizer to the acre this
spring and followed up with two
sprays of liquid 1Q-20-10 fertilizer
at the rate of three gallons per
acre.
Earlier in the tour, farmers
visited the home of Clayton
Dixon, Parkhill, to see soy bean
variety plots, and the farm of
Valter Lagerwerf, two miles
north of Parkhill, to see a plot
of 15 varieties of husking corn.
W. W. Snow, of the experi
mental farm, Ridgetown,. said
growth of corn is above average
in this area although it is ■ about
a week behind last year’s crop.
He urged growers to be sur*
to follow carefully instructions
for application of 2,4-D and other
sprays. He said considerable
damage was done to crops this
year because spraying was too
late and corn was too high.
X
Hog Prices and Hog Feeds
Here are the 'amounts of SHUR-GAIN feed consumed
and the cost of feeding each pig:
Lbs. Pig Booster at $4.50 ....
Lbs. Hog Grower at $3.40 "
Lbs. Hog Finisher at $3.25
50
200
350 1
Total .Feed Cost $20.45
♦ Ships Hogs In 5 Months
Mt.'Victor Heywood of R.R. 1 Centralia shipped IQ
"f hogs last week that went to market under 5 months
1 of age. This was a good record. Mrs. Heywood fed
the hogs on the above program and they averaged
$43.00 per .pig return. Figure the above cost of
feeding from the sale of pigs and a very substantial
profit per pig is realized, and in only 5 months. We
congratulate Mr. and Mrs. Heywood,
HOGS PAY THE SURE GAIN WAY
5
X
X
s
MM
GRAIN-FEED SEED
Huron County
Crop Report
By ARTHUR S. BOLTON
With fine weather for most of
the week of July 30 to August
4, all but a few of the farmers
have completed haying opera
tions.
Most of the fall wheat is how
cut in -the south end of the county
and cutting has commenced in
the- north. Some fields of early
oats and barley in southern and
central Huron have also been
cut. Hay aftermath and pasture
has continued to make tremen
dous growth.
Indications from inquiries at
this office are that there will
be a high instance of blights
and Other bacterial infections on
potatoes, cucumbers and other
susceptible Crops this year.
On Monday evening, July 30
approximately 400 Huron county
farmers, their wives and Huron
county 4-H members met at the
Huron county home farm near
Clinton for the annual twilight
meeting sponsored by the Huron
County Sdil¥ and Crop Improve
ment Association.
On Saturday, July 28, 73 mem
bers of-the Huron County Junior
Farmers and. Junior Institute U.L ■t.a.s.i Sa., - U.<»
HENSALL SALE PRICES
Prices at Hensail Community
Sale on August 2 were:
Weanling pigs ...... $8.60 to 11.50
Chunks ................. 12.00 to 18.00
Feeders ............... 18.00 to 25.00
Sows .................... 56.00 to 75.00
Holstein cows...... 140.00 to 156.00
Durham cows ...... 130.00 to 160.00
Holstein calves......11.00 to' 16.00
Durham calves......15.00 to 40.00
Grass yearlings .... 69.00 to 80.00
Some 275 pigs and 75 head of
cattle were sold.
ers to place their hogs on the
open market. This would help,
he said, to eliminate at certain
times the packer pressure for
lowering the price of hogs.
'• «. faster le drive—te move around. • Smart appearance—built to lest.
. . . Cali Im handled with the average *» t» Welded frame senstrustlon gtves
2-plew hacter. greater strength, without cestly weight*
• »* Threshes cloaner and faster. a * ‘ •"4 easier la adjust.
, »* Handles Mg fa 3 leads |Mr hour. y«•■. Mere Cempoct. Uster te Stere*
ORDER YOURS NOW! Q
v> Mrfoy for llluilroitd foldat and price for.
I*'
IV. G, Simmons & Sons
PHONI5 11$ . .................................... EXETER
GOOD MECHANIZATION PAYS BY GETTING A
LOT DONE WHEN CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT
A big advantage of good mechanization ,is its ability to g^t a lot of
work done in a hurry once you can get on the land to put the crop in
or into a field ready to be harvested, This work output of good equip
ment pays off in two ways—it enables you to offset or forestall the
effects of unfavorable conditions and with it you can make the most
of the period when conditions are most favorable. You stand te
. benefit the most when you can do a lot of seeding or harvesting
when the time is right.
From the 1956 Massey-Harris and Ferguson lilies of equipmOht
engineered to meet the needs of farming today you can select'machines
that will enable you to gain the advantages of modem mechamzataon
—your local dealer Will be glad to give you full particulars.
MASSEY-HARRIS-FERGUSON LIMITED
of Quehly Farm Stat* 1147