The Rural Voice, 1978-09, Page 37Mary Anne Alton
Garden project
for handicapped
By Sheila Gunby
There are many benefits being reaped by
all concerned in the vegetable garden at
the Bluewater Centre for. the Develop-
mentally Handicapped.
This pilot program is the community
project of the Huron County Junior
Farmers, in conjunction with Mr W.
Gregg. Facility Director at the Bluewater
Cen tre.
Mary Anne Alton, a student from
Fanshawe and an active Junior Farmer
member from North West Huron was
selected to work with the residents to set
up a vegetable garden on one acre of land.
Various businesses from Lucknow to
Hensall. donated seeds and now the
garden is filledw•i.th peas. beans, potatoes.
corn and other vegetables.
It has given the residents a chance to
actually grow and pick as well as market
their own produce.
"Each resident would be good at certain
things." says Mary Anne. "One would be
good at driving the garden tractor, another
seemed to do well at hoeing, while another
enjoyed picking vegetables."
Mary Anne says that she has also
benefited from this employment op-
portunity as it has provided her with a
rewarding summer job.
Hopefully. the funds from the garden
will help support one or two Junior Farmer
members on this program each summer.
while providing a learning experience for
the residents. Also, there is a possibility
that this type of project could be expanded
provincially.
4-H members
know what
work means
by Debbie Ranney
The 4-H has longgiven its members a
sense of accomplishment and achievement
throughachievement day and awards
nights. But day after day throughout the
year 4-H members work quietly getting
ready for fall fairs, meetings and doing
project work. This is the behind the scenes
4-H work that most people never hear
about.
Brian Falconer of R.R.3, Seaforth is a
4-H member who belongs to the calf club,
the rabbit club and the snowmobile club
and who exhibits at fairs in Huron County.
Brian must work with his animals for a
long time before the fairs even start. In
order to get calves ready for a show he says
"you have to clip the calvesiwash them and
groom them and learn how to lead them."
As for the rabbits, Brain says, "You
can't really handle them too much. You try
and get them to stand so they'll be quiet
for the judges."
This is Brian's third year as a 4-H
member. H^ has been in the calf club for
three years and in the rabbit club for two.
last year he was in the corn club as well.
He's the son of Mr. and Mrs.' Mervin
Falconer.
Five Fairs
Brian works with his animals a little bit
in the morning and a little bit at night. He
said the animals are taken to about five
fairs during the summer. three of which
have a conection with 4-Her's.Brian works
on his calf the day before a fair for about
three or four hours and up to fair time
usually spends an hour a day from the first
of May until September with his calf.
Brian is also going to the Queen's
Guinea class at the Royal Winter Fair in
December, so work with his calf tvon't stop
when local fall fairs are over.
Brian first became involved in 4-H
because he knew some other members.
Brian says it takes about 15 minutes to
feed all his rabbits and "about once a week
you try and see if you can get them quieted
down." Brian says he has about 10 show
rabbits at the moment but as he also sells
rabbits he doesn't know how many he'll
have at show time.
Brian who is 15 says that his 4-H clubs
really don't take too much time out of his
regular chores.
Just up the road from Brian,
David Townsend of R.R.3. Seaforth.
Also belongs to some 4-h clubs including
the Kippfield cow club (a beef calf club),
the Central Huron rabbit club and the
Huron County 4-H Sheep Club.
tY
Brian Falconer
In order to get his calf ready for the
show, David said he has to have it trained
to lead by fair time and a week before that
he starts to wash the calfup, and on the day
ofthe fair, "you have to clip the head and
the belly, brush the hair up and block it."
Brian explained that blocking means uyou
have to try and make the animal look like a •
square --flat along the top and flat along the
bottom." And the tail must also be fluffed
up.
When the calf is taken into the ring it is
lead with a show stick and a halter.
To get a sheep ready for the fair, David
says, "You have to wash it three days
before to give it time to dry. Then you card
the sheep the night before the fair. Using
sheep shears you flatten the back and sides
to make it look like a square block."
And the sheep also has to be trained to
lead. To do this you just lead it with your
hand under its chin according to David.
Don't Jump
As for the rabbits, David said, "you can
clean them if you want and brush them out
with your hand and a couple of days before ;
the fair you should take the rabbit out and
trainit to sit by itself so -it won't jump i
away." When the rabbit is taken to the fair
it is the owner's responsibility to put the
rabbit in front of the judge.
The sheep are shown before in the
spring and David usually works on them an
hour a day for seven days before the fair
and an hour and a half the day of the fair
which doesn't include time in the show. t
In order to get a calf ready for a fall fair,
David said, "If you start getting the calf i
ready in the spring you have to work with it
for about an hour each night, and then
carry on for about three months," David G
shows his calf at the Hensall fair, the t
Seaforth Fair and at the achievement day k
in Exeter. The rabbit is shown at the
Seaforth Fair in the fall and the sheep are
TILE: RURAL VOICE/SEPTEMBER 1978 PG. 37