The Rural Voice, 1980-04, Page 26A chance to
"tell it like
it is"
Farm women are going to be given a
chance to "tell it like it is" at the first
National Farm Women's Conference,
which will be held in Ottawa next
December.
The Ontario Women for the Survival of
Agriculture, a five year old organization
started by two farm wives in the Ottawa
area, has been emphasizing the import-
ance of telling the farmer's story to the
public for some time.
The WSA, working with the British
Columbia Cattle Belles. is now establishing
a nucleus of ten "dynamic" farm women to
lay the ground -work in March for the
December conference which will draw four
farm women from each province of
Canada.
Elizabeth Dion, a spokeswoman for WSA
is asking women in all farming com-
munities to send suggestions either on
women from their area who could attend
the conference as representatives or on
topics which should be on the conference
agenda.
The suggestions can be sent to Dianne
Harkin. president of WSA, RR 1, Win-
chester, Ontario, KOK 2K0.
Dianne Harkin, one of the two founders
of WSA, said one of the reasons the
organization was started was to encourage
more farm women to become active in farm
organizational work and to motivate them
to become effective communicators.
"In the past, people have listened to
men do all the talking. The refreshing
approach of farm women speaking out...
telling it like it is...has become a welcome
change," Mrs. Harkin said.
Barbara Lawrence, the western co-
ordinator of the conference, stresses "this
is not a women's liberation group. We are
verPserious wives of farmers and ranchers
that feel politicians should be given
background information from producers
themselves, people who are living farming,
not getting their information from books...
we feel it is most important that farm wives
from across Canada know of this meeting
and perhaps get involved."
In a recent newsletter sent out by the
WSA, participation in farm organizations
by women is stressed. Elizabeth Dion said,
"All too often women are simply handed a
list of suggested women's activities and a
women's program. Hand it back! No one
hands you a list of women's activities when
it's milking time, a barn to be mucked out
or a tractor to be driven! You don't take a
back seat working on your farm; don't take
the routeout the back door at a farming
conference; don't cheat yourself of gaining
valuable information and making a con-
tribution to the decision-making."
Mrs. Dion believes the farm population
must make their voices heard if farming is
to keep pace in our industrialized society
where the "voice of big business is
certainly heard."
Mitchell firm makes
"astronaut"
style food
Members of the Canadian Armed Forces
who are out on an exercise, far from
home cooking and the other luxuries, may
sometimes feel they're a little like
American astronauts.
The reason is they'll be eating food that
is packaged in toothpaste -type tubes by
Stacey Bros. Creamery in Mitchell. The
astronauts' food is packaged the same way.
Dwight Stacey, co-owner of the creamery,
said three years ago the defence depart-
ment was looking for a container with a
long shelf life tobeused by their soldiers.
"We took up the challenge," Mr. Stacey
said, and the creamery began producing
the tubes at the rate of 25,000 a day last
August.
The tubes contain such foods as cheese,
dairy spreads, peanut butter and honey.
Once the tubes go through a sterilization
process, they have a shelf life of up to three
years.
Dwight Stacey said because they're so
convenient to use, he hopes to expand the
market and sell the space-age containers to
campers, hikers and boaters.
Elmwood girl
crowned Miss Bruce
Junior Farmer
Dianna Leudke, of R.R.2, Elmwood, was
crowned this year's Miss Bruce County
Junior Farmer at the Junior Farmers
annual banquet and dance held in Walker-
ton March 1.
Miss Leudke is a member of the Paisley
Junior Farmers. The first runner-up was
Lenore Underwood from the Port Elgin
Junior Farmers and Kathy Grant from the
Ripley Junior Farmers. Ten girls entered
the competition this year.
Judges for the event were Mr. and Mrs.
Rod Stork and Bruce County warden Alvin
Thompson and Mrs. Thompson.
A number of special awards were
presented during the annual meeting.
• The Arran -Tara Junior Farmers won ar
award, donated by the United
Co-operatives of Ontario. as the club who
showed the greatest improvement over the
past year.
The Richard Driedger Memorial Award,
presented to the individual who best
demonstrates enthusiasm, participation
and sportsmanship in Junior Farmers was
awarded to Beverley Robinson of the
Arran -Tara club.
The yearbook award was given to Anne
Craig of the Ripley Junior Farmers for
naming the Junior Farmer Yearbook
"Spirit".
The Paisley Farmers won the mixed
curling trophy after winning the county
tournament.
Producers
elect
John Paul Rau of Stanley Township was
elected president of the Huron County Pork
Producers at their annual meeting last
month. The other members of the ex-
ecutive are Joe Miller, vice-president, of
Hay Twp.; Ross Eedy of Ashfield Twp.;
second vice-president and Lloyd Stewart of
Hullett Twp., secretary.
The committeemen elected are:
Ross Eedy, R.R.1, Dungannon, from
Ashfield Twp; Harm Kloeze of R.R3.
Goderich from Colborne Twp; Don Taylor
of R.R.3, Clinton from Goderich Twp; Jim
Williamson of R.R.3, Walton from Grey;
Keith Love of R.R.1, Zurich from Hay;
Lloyd Stewart of R.R.1, Clinton from
Hullett; Elmer Harding of R.R.1, Gorrie
from Howick; Bob Robinson of R. R4,
Walton from McKillop; Wayne Fear of
R.R.4, Brussels from Morris; John Paul
Rau of R.R.2, Zurich from Stanley; Simon
Brand of R.R.1, Exeter from Stephen; John
Arts of R.R.4, Seaforth from Tuckersmith;
Glen McMichael of R.R.1, Bluevale from
Turnberry; Paul Passmore of R.R.3. Exeter
from Usborne, Adrian Vos of Blyth from
East Wawanosh and Robert Jefferson of
R.R.2, Lucknow from West Wawanosh.
The directors at large are Gary Dauphin
of RR3, Lucknow; Doug Cameron of kR.7,
Lucknow, John Baan of R.R.3, Walton; Joe
Miller of R.R.1, Dashwood;Larry Dillon of
R.R.1, Clinton; Bill Leeming of R.R.4,
Walton; Doug Fraser of R.R.2, Blyth; Bev
Hill of Varna; Michael Connolly of R.R.3.
Kippen and Doug Filsinger of R.R.1,
Bluevale.
The alternates are Don Geiger of R.R.2,
Zurich; George Campbell of R.R.I.
Seaforth and Bill McGregor of R.R.5,
Clinton.
THE RURAL VOICE/APRIL 1980 PG. 27