The Rural Voice, 1981-08, Page 32THE YOUNG FARMER
4-H thriving in Perth county
by Donna Thiel
4-H is thriving in Perth County with a
membership of six hundred agricultural
members, which is 11.6 per cent of the
eligible rural young people in Perth and
much higher than the Ontario provincial
average of 3.5 per cent.
"4-H is popular in Perth because of the
flexible, well -structured program. The
leadership and development in 4-H is a
community project rather than the ideas
of the agriculture office." said Hal
Thompson, the 4-H co-ordinator with the
county's office of the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food." The active 4-H
Agriculture Club Leaders Association has
seven area directors who evaluate, plan
and carry through the 4-H agricultural
program."
The 4-H objective is to provide
experience for young people which will
assist in their personal development as
individuals and as members of
the community. This includes the devel-
opment of self confidence, qualities of
leadership and the appreciation of agri-
culture and the major role it plays in
community life.
One of the older 4-H clubs is the Perth
dairy club. These groups began in 1913,
but the name 4-H was not adopted until
1952. Some of the aalry club's objectives
are to create an interest in the care and
feeding of dairy cows and the adoption of
better feeding and management me-
thods. Improvement in the type and
quality of cows in the district is also
stressed.
The Mitchell 4-H dairy club has
21 memoers this year. The leader is Bud
Willows, R.R. 2 St. Pauls, who milks
thirty-five to forty Holsteins. He has been
leading 4-H for the last ten years, but his
association with the organization began
forty years ago when he first became a
member of the dairy calf club
In four years of 4 -t -i dairy, members
learn the basics of feeding and care of a
calf. Record books are kept to see the cost
of feed, production, marketing milk, and
it also shows where the dollar is spent
and made.
Willows feels today's 4-H members
have more professionalism which in-
cludes the ability to prepare a calf for a
show by clipping, training and showman-
ship.
i ❑e most popular club in Perth is 4-1-1
Farm Safety. There are thirteen clubs in
PG. 30 THE RURAL VOICE/AUGUST 1981
From left: Rick Tam, Darryl Vorstenbosch, Parry Kemp and Bert
Vorstenbosch Jr., members of the Mitchell farm safety club. John
McIntosh, below, shown with wife Mary and daughter Jessie says 4-H
today has a variety of clubs to serve all interests.
Perth and only twenty in all of Ontario.
The club's objectives focus attention on
safe working habits. safe methods of
operating farm equipment and attention
is paid to the occupational safety and
health act.
Bert Vorstenbosch, R.R. 2 Mitchell,
leads the Mitchell farm safety club. The
club is- now teaching about sound and
hearing, respiratory protection and toxi-
cology. Vorstenbosch has speakers ex-
plain to group members the hazards and
the safety measures used to prevent
accident.
Vorstenbosch, a dairy and beef opera-
tor, was president of the Perth County
farm safety association for three years,
then began working as a 4-H leader.
A past 4-H member and dairy farmer,
John Macintosh, 33, R.R. 7 St. Marys,
feels 4-H challenges its members to use
what they learn. He says 4-H today,
has more to offer and the variety of clubs
should serve all interests.
Macintosh is currently president of
Downie Mutual Fire Insurance Company
and the vice-president of the St. Marys
Fair Board.
Perth 4-H clubs cover all aspects of
farming and are involved in veterinary
practices, small engines, gardening and
snowmobiles, to name only a few.
Seventy-five per cent of 4-H members
do not actively farm but the social and
personal benefits are useful all of their
lives.