The Rural Voice, 2001-06, Page 70People
Lorraine and Clayton Torrie of Chatsworth accept the Agricultural Heritage
Award from Holland Township Federation of Agriculture Director Brian
Bumstead.
Torries win Holland Twp. award
Clayton and Lorraine Torrie of
R.R.5, Chatsworth were recently
named winners of the Holland
Township Federation of
Agriculture's Agricultural Heritage
Award. The award is presented to
individuals or farm partnerships that
have contributed to the agricultural
heritage of the township. People who
have been good stewards of the land
for more than 50 years and have also
contributed to the well-being of the
community are eligible.
Clayton Torrie was born on the
family farm on the east half of Lot 2,
Concession 9 which is now a century
farm. He started to plow when he
was tall enough to hold onto the
walking plow and at the age of 14
began farming full time.
He took over the farm prior to his
marriage to Loraine in 1942 and
continued mixed farming and
dairying there until 1965. At that
time he moved to Sydenham
Township, continuing farming with
land there as well as on 100 acres in
Holland Township.
After many years of milking
cows, he turned to a cow/calf
operation. Today, with 68 years
experience, he still enjoys looking
after the cows and calves.
Clayton and Lorraine are involved
in the community and attend
Strathaven Baptist Church, where
Clayton served many years as deacon
and treasurer. He has been a member
of McLean's Cemeterly Board for the
past 25 years. He also served one
term on the school board just before
the building of the Central School.0
McKinlay, Cornell on BIO executive
James McKinlay of Ravenna in Grey County was named vice -resident of
Beef Improvement Ontario when elections were held for the organizations
executive committee in April. President is Elaine Graham of Hastings.
Kim Cornell of Devlin in Rainy River District, is treasurer. Ron Bailey of
Thornloe is the additional member of the executive.
"BIO continues to evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of theOntario beef
industry," Graham said. "As we move towards greater awareness of food safety
requirements, on-farm assurances of product quality and producer profession-
alism, BIO must develop and incorporate old strategies with new improvement
initiatives."0
Wiarton woman
heads 4-H
Foundation
Rosemary Peer of Wiarton was
elected chair of the Ontario 4-H
Council at the group's annual
meeting in Guelph in March. It
marks the beginning of Peer's third
year as foundation trustee but her
first as chair.
Having served on the 4-H
Management and Implementation
teams restructuring 4-H, Peer said
she looks forward to her tenure as
chair of the foundation, fundraising
arm of the Ontario 4-H Council as
"A chance to give something back
to 4-H."
A 4-H member in Wentworth
County for nine years, Peer
completed 24 clubs. She fondly
recalls her first "big trip", a 4-H
exchange to Russell, Manitoba on
the Manitoba -Saskatchewan
border. It was to be the beginning
of a career that involved travel.
Peer comes to her new post
well-qualified with a bachelor of
environmental studies degree from
the University of Waterloo and a
Master of Sciences in Rural
Extension Studies from the
University of Guelph. Her
agribusiness career has included
work in the livestock, exhibitions
and education sectors with the
Canadian Guernsey Association,
the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
and Olds College, Alberta,
respectively.
The past 12 years have taken her
on long and short term Internat-
ional Agricultural Development
consulting assignments in
Thailand, Bangladesh, Brunei,
Indonesia and Malaysia. When she
is not abroad she operates
Rosecliffe Bed and Breakfast near
Wiarton.
The 4-H Foundation was
established in 1998 to manage
endowment funds and encourage
partnerships to ensure long-term
financial sustainability for 4-H in
Ontario.0