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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1986-10-22, Page 14PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1986. Farmers make best of weather to salvage crop Area farmers are running com­ bines around the clock in many areas across the county, taking full advantage of the first long stretch of decent weather in nearly six weeks to catch up on badly neglected field work. Many are fearful that the rains will close in again before what is left of their High average price at 4-H beef show and sale Fifty-nine 4-H members sold their calves for an average of $1.06 per pound at the sixth annual Huron-Bruce 4-H Beef Calf Show & Sale. The sale was held at Brussels Stockyards on Thanksgiving Day. The Overall Grand Champion Calf was sold to Tri-County Livestock for $1.33/lb. by Dean Ribey, who Steven Howson of Howson & Howson Ltd. in Blyth vacuums up a mess of corn spilled on Highway 25 near the entrance to the elevator on Monday. Accidents with corn buggies are not uncommon, and Crop Consultant Brian Hall of the Clinton OMAF office is pleading with farmers to take extra precautions with safety as they rush to catch up on fall work badly backlogged by the bad weather. crops can be salvaged. Bob Readings, secretary-trea- surer of the Ontario Bean Produc­ ers Marketing Board in London said Monday that total white bean production now stands at 532,000 bags, down considerably from the more than two million bags won the Modern Livestock Trophy. Patti Jo Weber sold her Reserve Champion Calf to Gus Krauza for $1.30/lb. Topnotch Feeds bought Brian Mulvey’s Champion Heavy Hei­ fer, while James Fullerton’s Champion Light Heifer was sold to Fletcher’s Meat Market. Rosanne Calhoun’s Champion predicted before the rains came. “They’re not the greatest, but certainly marketable,’’ he said, adding that the market had opened again that day after a six-week closure, with beans selling at the “ridiculously high” price of $54- $55/cwt., nearly twice as much as could be expected in a normal year. Light Steer was boughtby Formosa Mututal Insurance. Beefway, Frank Falconer, Cor­ bett Livestock, West Wawanosh Insurance, and Jim Coultes all bought Reserve Champion Calves. After months of hard work, the 4-H members were rewarded, with nice cheques, thanks to the many buyers who supported the sale. He said he was pleased that legislation had been enacted under the Agricultural Products Co­ operative Marketing Act to nearly double the advance payment on the crop to producers, but said there was no way he could predict the final price until the market settles down. BrianHall, crop consultant at the OMAF office in Clinton, said that nearly all the silage that will be cutis off now, with many cattlemen likely to go short because they hadn’t been able to get at it sooner. He said the shortage may affect beef producers’ buying decisions, with farmers opting for more heavy­ cattle that can be grain fed. Mr. Hall said that high-moisture corn has been coming in steadily at good moisture, but that the yield is only average atlOO/bu./acre. Soys are just beginning to come in, and look like a good crop, with most of the harvesting problems coming in beans lodging, provided the fields stay dry enough to combine. Many producers have gone back to pulling soys, after predicting the crop may have to be direct combined in order to save it. Some farmers are still seeding winter wheat, although the late­ ness of the year makes this a risky venture. However, if the crop can get established before freeze up, hesaidfarmers might expect as much as 80 per cent of a normal yield next year. Mr. Hall said that farmers who are working round the clock should be extra careful of their own safety, with danger to tractors much intensified by the soft ground and by working in the dark. He also warned farmers against the dan­ gers of silo gas, which will be at its most potent over the next three weeks, with silage going in so late in the year. Choice Gifts at The Saga Blyth - 523-4331 PLOUGHS C.A. Becker Allow tight headland turns. Operator can continue up and down the field in sequence Headland compaction greatly reduced. Elimination of crowns and finishes left in conventional plowing. Equipment Ltd Lucknow 529-7993 FOUR PLUSES FOR ROLLOVER PLOWS McGavin Farm Equipment Walton 527-0245 887-636! 4-6 furrows on semi-mount or 2-4 furrows on mounted