The Rural Voice, 2002-08, Page 23i
research. "You learn a lot and with
some countries you wish you could
go and see it," says Nelly.
It.also adds a different perspective
to the world, says Ernst. When you
scale the world down to 36 acres, it
means that every step you take is the
equivalent of 60 km on the earth's
surface. Mount Everest, the world's
tallest mountain, would be less than
knee high in this scale.
"To do the whole thing was very
exciting, from the planning to the
planting," he says.
"It certainly keeps you busy,
that's for sure, Nelly says, "but if
your choice is to do something like
this, that's what it will be."
The couple dropped out of milk
production two -and -a -half
years ago and now raise
replacement heifers on their 300 -acre
farm.
"If we were still in dairy we
couldn't do this," Nelly says. "It's a
lot of work but .we really like to do
it."
Ernst says that all those years of
milking cows more or less alone
made the idea of being around people
an attraction to creating this agri-
tourism business.
Last year once the maze closed in
October, the corn and sunflowers
were harvested as high moisture corn
for the cattle. "They liked the
sunflower seeds," Ernst says.
The maze is open seven days a
week from 1:00 p.m. to dusk on
Sunday through Thursday. 1:00 p.m.
to 10:30 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m.
to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Those late evenings are for those
who don't like being out in the hot
sun, and can take part in "flashlight
nights". "A lot of people really
enjoyed that," says Nelly, "especially
older children."
The couple has already been
looking ahead to next year. When
they planted the mixed grain for the
oceans it was underseeded with grass
seed so they will keep the same
theme for next year, Ernst says.
"But every year you add some
different things so that when people
come out the path will be different so
they can't remember which way was
the right one," Nelly adds.
From the success of their first
year, the Hofers certainly seem to
have found the right path.0
JJ
Huron Fuel Injection Limited
Phone/Fax: (519) 482-7971
1-800-320-0666
Visit our web site at: www.huronfuelinjection.com
• Servicing Diesel Pumps and Injectors
• Cleaning and Flow Testing Gasoline Injectors
• Turbo Charger Service
• Alternator and Starter Service
• Factory Trained Service Technicians
Pat & Heather De Jong
7
Highway 4 South
P.O. Box 1471
Clinton, Ont. NOM 1L0
TOP DRY
HOW DOES THE
G. S. I. SYSTEM WORK?
1) Grain is loaded into the upper chamber
of the bin, and dried as a batch
2) When the grain is dry, the burner
automatically shuts off
3) The operator lowers the dump chutes
with a winch, and the grain falls to the
lower part of the bin for cooling/storage
4) The dump chutes are cranked closed
and another batch is loading into the
drying chamber
WHY IS A TOP DRY A BETTER INVESTMENT
THAN A STIRRING MACHINE?
1) LOWER OPERATING COSTS
• Uses much less fuel because it recycles cooling air through
the drying zone
• No gear boxes, motors, or bearings inside the bin
• 100% galvanized construction inside and outside
2) FASTER DRYING
• 2 to 3 times faster per horsepower than a stirring machine
because of lower grain depth (30")
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR A FREE ESTIMATE, CALL TODAY
AL
131 Thames Rd. W.
GRAIN SYSTEMS LTD.
(519)235-1919 / Fax: (519) 235-2562
Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S3 Visit our website: www.almar.on.ca
AUGUST 2002 19