The Rural Voice, 2000-10, Page 56GREY
446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1P9
Email: grey@ofa.on.ca Website. www.ofa.on.caigrey 519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
' The Rural Voice is provided to all Grey
County Farmers by the GCFA.
Thoughts on taking things for granted
This summer we took our holidays
at my in-laws' trailer park.
It's not the first time that we
stayed at the trailer for holidays. It
didn't take long to realize that things
were going to be different for the
week. Things you just took for
granted. have changed. I expected
some things to be different and they
were. like tight quarters, everybody
taking their turn at doing dishes. and
the kids maybe just getting on my
nerves a little. That was not a
surprise, when you expect something
might happen, you prepare yourself
in one way or another.
Now when you take things for
granted and they change, it takes a
while to accept the change, or adjust
to it. Like when the people in the
trailer next door decide to listen to
the radio all night. Guess what?
Everybody hears the radio all night
and you do your best to sleep
anyway. I.'m pretty much used to
having three meals a day. Well when
you are on holidays it gets cut back to
one or two meals, the rest is self -
serve. I don't know if I ate more or
less this way but I managed.
When I sit outside at home in the
evening, the worst thing that bothers
me is mosquitoes and maybe the dog.
Well at the trailer park they have a
wee bit of a skunk problem. You
would sit by the campfire and without
warning one of these black and white
cats would come right up behind you,
sniffing around for scraps. Now this
was one of those things a person
takes for granted, that these animals
would not come around buildings or
people normally. In this more
condensed environment they have
35th ANNUAL
GREY -BRUCE FARMERS'
WEEK AND TRADE SHOW
January 3 - 6, 2001
Elmwood Community Centre
For more information contact
Grey County Agricultural Services
Centre 519-986-3756
52 THE RURAL VOICE
made their homes, and are quite used
to people. As for us, the first couple
of nights the kids would just run
away screaming, but by the end of the
week they had the skunks all named,
and knew which ones they could get
close to.
Some things can be a little more
life threatening than skunks or radios
on all night, but they can be just as
innocently taken for granted. Like the
thought that it will never happen to
me, and then, not taking the proper
safety precautions when working
around farm equipment, farm
animals, or silos. One simple mistake
could cost you your life, or well
being. So when it comes to safety
think ahead, and take the precautions
that are necessary. Nobody is
invincible. Always try to think ahead,
and be prepared for any possible
problems, or situations.
Another thing that sometimes get
taken for granted are family and
loved ones. A lot of the times on the
farm priorities can get messed up
quite easily. You can always find
something to do, but sometimes you
have to take some time to teach the
kids how to fish, or catch a baseball.
If you don't somebody else might.
Tomorrow never comes, and later is
sometimes too late.
How do you want to be
remembered? The hardest worker
around. The most self-sufficient farm
in the neighbourhood. Or somebody
HOLLAND TOWNSHIP
FEDERATION OF
AGRICULTURE ANNUAL
MEETING
Friday, October 20, 2000
Potluck Dinner - 6:30 p.m.
Massie Hall
Guest Speaker: Roger Shantz,
Farm Manager, Guelph/Elora
Research Centre
Holland Agricultural Heritage
Award will be presented.
who was not afraid to help out or
spend some time with the ones you
love, having fun and making
memories. Think of somebody that
has passed away. What do you
remember most about them? In most
cases it will be the small things, like
little talks you had with them, or the
fact they took time to show you
something.
Life is too short to waste it on
yourself. After somebody is gone, it
is hard to make up for lost times. Life
is not a videotape, you can't rewind
and do it over again if you missed it
the first time. So definitely don't take
life for granted. The work does have
to be done, just don't get tied up in it
and forget about life. Time is very
valuable, we only have so much of it.
Do not waste it on the little things,
and forget about the big picture.0
— Submitted by Paul Sachs, President
Sullivan Township Federation of
Agriculture
GREY COUNTY FEDERATION OF
AGRICULTURE
PLEASE NOTE:
There wit be NO Board of Directors'
meeting in October because of
annual meeting
Next meeting will be
Thursday, November 16, 2000
GREY COUNTY FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE
60TH ANNUAL MEETING
AND BANQUET AND OFA
REGIONAL MEETING
Friday, October 13, 2000
Markdale Community Centre
Social: 6:30 p.m. Dinner: 7:00 p.m.
Guest Speaker: Dr. Gord Surgeoner,
President, Ontario Agri -Food Technologies
Tickets: $12/person (available from
Township Presidents or our office)
Note: OFA Regional Directors,
Delegates and Alternates for OFA
Convention and GCFA Presidents will
be elected at the meeting.