The Rural Voice, 1980-10, Page 40THE YOUNG FARMER
The most important advice
would give to a 4-H'er planning on farming
Editor's Note: Tony Simons, who works
on the Con Eckert farm, R.R.4, Seaforth,
recently won first prize with this essay at
the 4-H Silver Dollar Competition in Erin.
The competition is jointly sponsored by
the Erin Junior Farmers and United
Breeders.
The most important piece of advice 1
would give to a 4-H'er would be to sit
down and make sure he absolutely wants
to do what he says. Then I would tell him
To set a goal for himself and strive for it,
and, if he makes that goal, strive for a
further one. This goal should not be
impossible whether it be a 140 bu/acre
corn crop or a 17,000 Ib. production level
for cows. Why? It is important for a
person to make progress. This will mean
extra dollars in the bank and a step
forward for the breed or whatever.
Without success, even if he works
hard, there cannot be the hope for the
feeling of accomplishment that the
successful person feels. This adds
meaning to the man's life and there can
be no happy life without meaning.
A man should not just live each day as
it comes; but, he must plan to build a
foundation for himself as well as his
offspring.
What is one man's success maybe
another man's failure. And the man who
sets goals unrealistically low is only
fooling himself.
A man must not give up, but keep
striving for perfection in this world of
rapidly progressing times. A man may be
progressing but yet be actually standing
still because of the fast - moving society
around him. If a man does not have goals
he will not, nor cannot, say he has helped
the breed or whatever. When a man
hands over to the next generation he
should have a feeling of pride. Whether it
be 100 acres or 1,000 acres, or 20 cows or
200 he must know that a significant
amount of improvement was initiated by
himself.
A 4-H'er would probably have some
things on his mind about what and how
he might farm but he will probably not
think of success as compared to goals
when he started or modified goals. It is
imperative in today's world to be a doer
and a mover and this is only possible by
setting slightly out of reach goals and
slowly catch hold of them whether it take
10 or 20 or 30 years.
New goals can always be set in 20
years, the goals you have set now may not
be hard to get or they may be below
average. In these cases your goals and
you must change with the times.
The four division winners in the 1980 Dairy Silver Dollar Competition held at Erin
and sponsored by United Breeders and Erin Jr. Farmers were, from left, Tony
Simons, Seaforth, best essay; Bruce Johnston, Listowel, best written qulz; Bill
Young, Singhampton, best calf, Murray Clark, Barrie, best showman. Each won
twenty-five silver dollars. (Photo by Bob Miller)
Silver Dollar Competition
Tony Simons of Seaforth, representing
Huron County, won $25 in the recent 4-H
Silver Dollar Competitions held at the
Erin Fairgrounds. The annual event is
sponsored by the United Breeders and
Erin Junior Farmers.
Tony won his award for the best essay
entered in the competition.
This year's dairy champion, winner of
75 silver dollars on a silver tray, was
Robert Wright of Simcoe County, with a
score of 853 points out of the possible
1,000. His team mate, Murray Clark of
Barrie, topped the showmanship category
of the competition, winning $25.
Bruce Johnston of Listowel,
representing Perth County, won an
honourable mention in the same event,
and 25 silver dollars on a silver tray.
The intercounty trophy for the Dairy
Silver Dollar Competition went to
Wellington County, whose top four
competitors scored a total of 3314 points
of a possible 4,000.
The Beef Silver Dollar competition was
won by Norma Roddick of Wyoming,
Lambton County, with a score of 859
points.
Two points behind her was Terri
Jackson of Peterborough, the reserve
champion. The intercounty Beef Silver
Dollar Competition Trophy was won this
year by the Lambton County team, whose
top four scores totalled 3122 points out of
a possible 4,000.
Tony Simons of Huron represented this
county in the Dairy Silver Dollar
competition.
THE RURAL VOICE/OCTOBER 1980 PG. 39