The Rural Voice, 1982-08, Page 14rmk'
G. 0. H. ENTERPRISES
�.Ilair 1
CUSTOM SILK SCREENING
Acr
• T -Shirts
• Caps
• Sportswear
• Trophies
• Crests
• Flags
• Farm Signs
Gordon Kaster
D. K. Enterprises
Wroxeter
Bus.
335-3136
Res.
335-3671
Farrowing pens
Farm gates
Hand railing
Lathe work
Hog confinement
Repairs to all kinds
of small engines
and chain saws
LUCKNOW
CUSTOM WELDING &
SMALL ENGINE REPAIR
Box 357 Russ St.
1.uckno%, Ont. 528-3835
PG 14 THE RURAL VOICE, AUGUST 1982
Through the eyes
of a newcomer
by Sheila Richards
A look at farming through the eyes of a
new comer is both intriguing and worth
listening to. The Huron West district of
the Women's Institute heard Sheila
Richards'story at their annual meeting in
June in Londesboro. Mrs. Richards
offered some insight into her family's
change of lifestyle.
The purchase of our farm resulted from
a legacy left to our family. As we discussed
what to do with it, several options came to
mind, invest it, buy a cottage. buy a larger
home. or buy a farm as a retirement
project. We decided to look into the
possibility of buying a farm.
With the help of friends who reside in
this area. farm introductory courses from
the University of Guelph. much talking to
farmers and real estate agents. and
looking at farms everywhere, we pur-
chased our hundred acres in Grey
township in the eastern part of Huron
county.
Our retirement project soon became a
full time farming operation. Both our sons
enrolled at OAC, one is now a bank
agrologist. the other is running the family
farm. 1 undertook a completely different
life style. One of the major differnces is
the priorities that are so much a part of
farming. No putting in the crop tomorrow
if today is a good day. Living close to the
earth keeps one's feet on the ground and
one's head out of the clouds; the
continuing wonder at the marvel of
creation. when that new grain pokes its
head out of the soil.
Country folk often ask me what 1 think of
life in Huron county: what are my
impressions?
1 think the greatest impression and
impact on me is the role the farm wife
plays in the total farm operation. 1 look
with admiration and a great deal of awe at
farmers' wives I've met who are true
working partners in the farm operation
and can toss off yields per acre, fertilizer
costs and requirements, or who have
complete knowledge of the dairy herd and
milk production. She is also a midwife to
the Iivcst ►ick, all the while coping with
three children all playing hockey or ball on
different nights. a husband who. at times.
lakes her for granted. and the bank
manager who has a great deal of respect
for her because she does the cash flow,
makes up the budget. pays the bills, keeps
track of the million and one things that
have to be done, and on top of it all bakes
the best apple pies for miles around.
What impressions do 1 get from farm
folk about city people and those cities?
"Certainly you wouldn't want to live there
or have your children brought up there!"
Ninety-six of every one hundred people
are urban; the four that are left over are
active farmers. Just how good a job are we
doing in interpreting our role as farmers,
and the importance of farming to the
economy. to those ninety-six who we
depend on to buy our farm products?
The media take us to task everytime the
price of milk. beef, pork, eggs, poultry, or
fruits and vegetables increases. Wendall,
my late husband, said "if we could just get
some of those ninety-six people to off-load
one wagon of baled hay. or milk fifty cows
for just one day, they would NEVER
complain about the cost of food again ."
What do city folk think of farming and
farmers? Let us for example. take a family
from the city out for a Sunday drive in the
country. As they drive, everyone settles
down. The family sees a lovely farmhouse.
with nobody in sight. perhaps a large
barn. a dairy herd or some beef cattle
grazing in the meadow --horses leaning
against a fence. both mother and father
sigh and say, "wouldn't it be great to be
able to live like that --oh for the peace and
quiet of the country." People are so
nostalgic about farming. They lovingly
remember visits to farms as children --the
hay mow, the kittens. the lambs, and the
wild strawberries. We, as farmers haven't
done a very good job of updating them.
Very few people realize just how much
that dairy or beef herd in the meadow
costs.
The barn, in all reality is a factory, it is
producing food for Canadian consumers in
a most efficient manner. The budget for a
one hundred acre farm can be in the
5200,000.00 range for a very basic
operation. They also don't realize the
farmer at that moment is probably sitting
at the kitchen table chatting with his wife
about the concerns of the week: the price
of beef is too low to recover input costs. If
we don't get rain the crop is going to be in
difficulties. What are we going to do to
increase hog production. and what do you