The Rural Voice, 1981-02, Page 33Changing
THE YOUNG FARMER
obs from policeman to farmer
Ray Stock now farms near Shakespeare
after trading in his career as a police
officer four years ago.
(Photo by Shoveller(
BY DONNA THIEL
Dreams do come true. For Ray Stock,
R.R. 1, Stratford, the childhood dreams
of being a farmer wererealized at age 35.
He was raised in Shakespeare and spent
most of his childhood at his grand-
parent's farm, three miles from the small
community. This is where his dream of
farming took shape.
Ray and Carolyn Stock now farm at Lot
24, Concession 5 of North Easthopc
township. Besides being a busy
homemaker and mother of Michael, 12
and Kimberley. 9, Carolyn supply
teaches.
"The 140 acre farm was bought in
1972. The log house was torn down and a
new home built. 1 began farming with a
cow and calf operation. 1 bought 40 bred
Hereford heifers from a neighbour, but in
1978 a fire destroyed all the stock and the
barn," said Ray.
"The land is too expensive and barns
are very expensive to build. So 1 built a
single barn and I don't have room for
cows. I now have a 60 sow operation
which is from farrowing to finishing."
Besides the 140 acre farm, Ray rents
land as well. The acreage varies from
year to year. Corn is planted on 90 per
cent of the land and it is stored in a sealed
silo.
Ray uses a liquid manure system, and
last year he planted a test plot of 10 acres
of corn using only manure to fertilize. The
rest of the field was covered with
commercial fertilizer. The results were
revealing. The 10 acre plot produced the
same yield as the rest of the field.
Unfortunately. though, he lost one-third of
last season's crop to corn boret.
Ray obtains advice and general
knowledge from the many meetings ne
attends. Swine Symposiums present new
ideas and inform producers of "what is
happening in the industry". The Perth
County Pork Producers also have regular
meetings, and many local producers
provide useful and practical advice.
Ray's future plans involve selling
breeding stock but any further plans
depend on his son's interest in farming.
Ray's early years involved serving
people in another manner. A t 21, in
1963, he became a policeman. He began
as a uniformed officer. then was pro-
moted to motor cycle division and then to
detective. Ray was a member of the
Waterloo Regional Police Force for 14
years. For four years he worked as both a
policeman and farmer, before deciding to
farm fulltime.
"Each day was different. one day you
dealt with the down and out people from
the gutter to the VIPs who require
protection." he said. "The job was a
rewarding experience."
This is one success story -a youthful
dream becoming reality.
1
Thames Bend Lady 2128K
1979 Pork Congress Champion
Bred Yorkshire Gilt
Back Fat 10.5 m.m. 161 Dais 136 index
Third & Fourth Production
Auction Sale
Featuring Yorkshire, Hampshire, Duroc, Land -
race and hybrid breeding. Government R.O.P.
tested and health approved since 1966. At the
farm of Warren Stein, on the 11th line of East
Zorra township.
THIRD SALE
Thursday, Feb. 26th at 1:00 p.m.
FOURTH SALE
Thursday, April 9th at 1:00 p.m.
THAMES BEND FARMS LTD.
R. R.6, Woodstock, Ontario N4S 7W1
619-655-2942 or 482-2704
RICHARD AND WARREN STEIN
i
THE RURAL VOICE/FEBRUARY 1981 PG 31