The Rural Voice, 1983-05, Page 16IN THE NEWS
Lloyd Mannerow. right, top winner in the seed and feed competition, and James
McKinlay, left, runner-up, stand behind their winning entries at the Grey County
Soil and Crop Improvement's meeting held recently.
Barry Tolton, secretary -treasurer of the G.C.S.C.I.A. explains upcoming programs
within OMAF, president Harvey Reckie, on left ponders the news. [photos by Mary
Lou Weiser]
PG. 14 THE RURAL VOICE, MAY 1983
GREY COUNTY
Soil and Crop
Seed and Feed
Annual
Seed fairs should be held in the fall,
after the fall fairs, when seed has already
been cleaned. rather then in the spring.
This idea was brought forward by
Harvey Reekie at the Grey County Soil
and Crop Improvement Association's
Seed and Feed Show and Annual Meeting
held in Markdale in March.
The theme for the day was "Soil
Erosion -Causes and Control", and in his
chairman's address, Reekie, president of
the G.C.S.C.I.A. stressed the importance
of proper land utilization, for present and
long term benefits. With world popula-
tion expected to nearly double by the
year 2000. the optimistic farmer must
examine all agricultural possibilities and
options in order to survive. It took
twenty-five years for soybeans to be
recognized as an important crop, but the
long climb to recognition has meant
success for many soybean producers.
The top three entrants in the Barley
and Corn Sweepstakes within Grey
County will now receive fifty, thirty, and
twenty per cent of the purse, respective-
ly. In the past. only entrants with a yield
above the fifteen metric tonne average
could win the sweepstakes. No one
collected this year, with the average of
12.72 imperial ton being well below the
qualifying average.
Harvey Reekie agreed to remain for a
second year as President and Barry
Tolton was named secretary -treasurer for
another year. Harvey McMurchy is first
vice-president and Ken Mitchell is sec-
ond vice-president.
Members attending were given an
insight into agriculture in other countries
when two guest speakers gave presenta-
tions on their trips abroad.
Grant McMurchy was one of forty-five
Zone 7 Junior Farmers to travel to
Australia and New Zealand. He learned
about agricultural practises first hand
while staying with young farmers, and
taking part in farm activities. Australia
was in its fourth year of a drought and
McMurchy saw sheep being sold for next
to nothing (one pen of 200 sheep sold for
a dime at an auction) because there just
wasn't any feed available. The feed crisis
was so severe that 1,200 sheep were fed
one bag of oats and three bales of straw
and this was to last them for three days.
A ewe could live on two ounces of feed
per day if not nursing.
James McKinlay had a whirlwind tour