The Rural Voice, 1982-01, Page 11and a conservation award (see additional
story).
Larry Wheatley, immediate past -presi-
dent says meetings are held in the early
part of the year to plan activities and
projects. The group has three working
committees. An education committee
promotes soil management awareness
and information on current advances in
technology. The conservation committee
does studies on reforestation, grass
waterways and minimum tillage. Weed
control comes under the jurisdiction of the
project committee and they oversee tests
on red clover plowdown and corn hybrid
trials on 25,000 acres in Perth and Huron
counties.
All the projects and committee efforts
are done at no cost and on a voluntary
basis and are freely available to any
interested farmer.
The Huron Soil and Crop Improvement'
Association is still a working association,
benefitting farmers in Huron County.
Picture taken at the 1973 annual
meeting of the Huron Soil and Crop Improvement
Association. Shown chatting are former associate
Ag Rep Mike Miller, Crop Specialist Pat Lynch
and a Huron Hay King. Russell Bolton.
[Photo by courtesy Exeter Times -Advocate]
The Norman Alexander Conservation Award
by Sheila Gunby
The Huron County Soil and Crop
Improvement Association has always
been conscious of growing quality seed
and increasing crop yields. By 1961, more
articles on improving soil management
practises and the conserving of soil were
finding their way into their "Soil and Crop
News". Articles like "Have you a
conservation conscience?" and "Is our
good Huron soil slipping through our
fingers?"
In 1980, in an effort to promote good soil
and water management, the association
decided to present an award to an
individual in his efforts to combat soil
erosion.
Because of his dedication to projects
dealing with erosion, the conservation
Don Lobb, left was the 1981 winner of the Norman Alexander Conservation
Award presented at the Huron Soil and Crop Improvement Association Annual
Meeting held last November. Next to Lobb are the other nominees from left:
Nich Whyte, Mac Stewart, Don Moylan and Glenn Hayter. [Photo by Bev Brown]
committee honoured Norman Alexander
of Londesboro, by calling the award the
Norman Alexander Conservation Award
and making him the first honorary
recipient.
Individuals were nominated and the
association visited the nominees and the
sites of their projects to select a winner.
John Hazlitt, R.R. 4, Goderich became
the winner in 1980 for conservation tillage
and a tree planting program. Other
nominees included: Carmen Craig, RR2
Blyth; Mel Knox, R.R.1 Blyth; Don Lobb,
R.R.2 Clinton; Don Moylan, R.R.5 Sea -
forth; Robert Peck, R.R.1 Auburn; Mac
Stewart, R.R.1 Dublin; Elgin Thompson,
and Whyte Bros. R.R. 2, Seaforth.
Nominees for 1981 include Robert Peck,
R.R. 1 Blyth; Chris Lee, Walton; Glenn
Hayter, Varna; Mike Ryan, Mt. Carmel;
Whyte Bros. (Nick) R.R.2 Seaforth;.
Mervin Agar, R.R. 2 Seaforth and the
winner Don Lobb of near Clinton. Lobb is
an advocate of minimum tillage and
bought his planter with that method in
mind. He has attended field days in
Michigan on this subject. Last year, he did
minimum tillage on fifteen acres and plans
to expand it to seventy acres this year.
THE RURAL VOICE/JANUARY 1982 PG. 9