Village Squire, 1978-12, Page 49PRESS
Shirley Kerr, editor of almanac, daughter Valerie, art director, and Maxwell Kerr, publisher
and advertising manager discussing some of the sketches Valerie did for one of the first
issues. --Photo by Elaine Townshend.
Canada gets its own Farmers' Almanac
BY ELAINE TOWNSEND
Most rural Canadians grew up with a
Farmer's Almanac hanging on a string on
the kitchen wall. By the end of the year, its
pages were thumb -marked because it was
the main source of weather information,
household hints, bits of humour and
grassroots philosophies.
For years, thousands of Canadians
thought Canada, being a farm -oriented
country, should have its own almanac
rather than relying on one from the United
States. Maxwell Kerr, 50, and his wife
Shirley, 48. of Milverton agreed and in the
past year have made Canada's Own
Canadian Farmer's Almanac a reality.
They credit Al Donaldson of the
Harriston area with "taking the bull by the
horns" and coming up with some concrete
ideas for a Canadian almanac. He was
president of the publishing company that
released the first edition in June 1977. and
Maxwell Kerr was general manager. Mr.
Donaldson is no longer associated with the
firm, and the subsequent three issues have
been published by the J.M. Kerr
Publishing Co. Ltd. Max has taken over as
publisher and advertising manager, while
Shirley has assumed the responsibilities of
editor.
Kerr Publishing began in a small room
off the kitchen of the Kerr home. When
Max and Shirley realized the almanac was
becoming a fulltime business, they decided
to move to another house in Milverton that
gives them five times more office space.
They did not have previous experience in
publishing and have discovered it is not an
easy task. However. Max's several years
experience in sales management has
helped him in soliciting ads for the
almanac. and most merchants and
businessmen respond favourably to the
concept of a Canadian publication. As
advertising manager. Max spends many
days on the road, often works week ends
and is sometimes home for only two or
three days a week.
Shirley's job requires long hours of
research, which she obviously enjoys.
Reading was always one of her favourite
hobbies. and now it has become almost
fulltime employment. In the libraries of
Guelph and Waterloo Universities, she
reads literally tons of. information on
astrological signs. household hints, humor-
ous anecdotes and interesting phenomena.
Her other sources are people who tell
original philosophies and amusing real-life
stales.
From the conglomeration of details,
Shirley patiently picks the pertinent facts
that she feels will be of most interest to the
readers of a Canadian Farmer's Almanac.
For the weather prognostications, she
consults four long-range forecasters
induding one naturalist. True to the
tradition of almanacs, the weather
information has been reliable.
A special feature that required indepth
research and interviews was a history of
the International Plowing Match.
Max feels Shirley was "born to be in
writing," and another person who thinks
highly of her writing ability is Gordon
Sinclair. She interviewed Mr. Sinclair for a
special story in the 78/79 issue and found
him to be "very friendly, out -going and
easy to interview." After the story was
published, Mr. Sinclair wrote her a letter
congratulat;ng her on the "no nonsehse"
way in which she presented the artici�.
When i3resstime draws near, 'he
almanac bcomes a family venture 1.1e
Kerr's youngest daughter. Valerie 2.1,
sketches fqr the publication, , nd she
another daughter, Cheryl, 2.'. help w h
typing, proofreading and running the
office.
ime to send this
holiday wish for a
Christmas of dazzling
delights. Thanks
to our many friends
STANFORD
JEWELLERS
187 MAIN ST. LISTOWEL
PHONE 291-4561
December 1978, Village Squire 47