The Rural Voice, 1979-01, Page 9piece of advice and that was for anyone building their own barn
or outbuildings. "Ensure you get a number of estimates (on
building material costs.) We saved thousands by getting four or
five estimates on materials."
Despite his lack of income and the long hours spent building
his farrow to finish barn. Kurt Keller doesn't miss his old life.
The money was good, there were long vacations every year, but
"there wasn't any satisfaction at all from the jobs 1 did."
Working for himself he hopes will provide the job satisfaction
he's looking for.
Brad Carnochan also doesn't regret his decision to purchase
the family farm. The best advice he has to offer others in the
same position is, "Don't go into debt anymore than
you absolutely have to."
WORKING AWAY
If Paul Ahrens has any regret, it's that he didn't spend one
year after his university education was complete either
travelling or working away from the farm. But when he looks at
the situation in a parctical light, he realizes he wouldn't have
built his dariy herd up to the same level if he had taken the year
away from the farm.
His main advice is to buy a farm that's an ongoing operation,
rather than buying one which requires extensive conversion to
the operation you're entering.
He said, "The income has to be there right away, because the
expenses are right there."
Taking over family farms is something of a tradition around
Elmwood, and Paul and Glen said about 75 ner cent of their
neighbours on the road are also running father -son operations.
Mac Armstrong is also satisfied with life on the farm. He said
when he graduated from OAC. only about five per cent of his
class went into active farming. Today. about 40 per cent of the
class are trying their hand at running a farm, rather than
working for OMAF or in industry.
FEEL FOR WORKING
His advice to farm entrants - "Work for somebody else first
whether it's another farmer, in industry or even working
construction."
That way. you "get a feeling for working" before becoming
your own employer.
Recently Bob Heenan of Regina, speaking at an agricultural
CreditConference, suggested a formula bankers might use in
considering whether a young farmer deserved their financial
assistance.
The questions Mr. Heenan suggested the bankers might
consider were, "Was he born on a farm? What kind of farmer is
his father? Is he keen? Does he have some formal education in
the agricultural field beyond high school? Does he give proof that
he's not afraid of hard work, and can he deny himself what he
wants today. so he can have something tomorrow?"
People who enter farming today certainly aren't choosing a
career that offers either fast money or a relaxed lifestyle free
from pressure.
But the fact there are young farmers at all proves the
independence of working on the land still provides some very
special satisfactions.
At the head table during the luncheon at the Super Swine
Symposium are Bob Stephen, hog producer, St. Mary's; Paul
Bayer, Woodstock hog producer and President of Quality Swine:
Pig breeders learn at
41,
Doug Eckel, luncheon speaker from G. H. Ward, Karen
McLagan, OMAF and Richard Smelski, OMAF Swine
Consultant.
Super Swine Symposium
By Bev. Brown
In the wee small hours of Wednesday. December 6th over 1500
pig farmers from all over Southwestern Ontario faced the cold
winter morning as they rushed to finish their barn chores as early
as possible. Then all 1500 pig farmers converged on the Stratford
Coliseum to attend the Super Swine Symposium --- a getting
together of practical information for pork producers presented in
a learning crvicon• ment.
Swim • experts from all over North America came to Stratford
to Iecti.re and show slides on subjects including Reproduction,
Manure Handli.ig Building and Ventilation. At noon hour
everyone had a quince to compare notes while they enjoyed a
deluxe pork dinner catered by "The Garage" from London. The
luncheon speaker was Doug Eckel, an expert on farm
accounting, who spoke on "Considerations for Pork Producers in
the 1980's". He had many interesting predictions about the life
of the swine producer in the 1980's. However, speaking of
today's situation, he said that in the past year 32% of the food
dollar has gone to the hourly paid workers in the processing and
retail end of the food industry. This means that for the first time.
the portion of the food dollar going to the hourly paid worker
exceeds the portion going to farmers. An ironic. but significant
development!
TAE RURAL VUJCE/JANUARY 1979 PG. 9