The Rural Voice, 2003-08, Page 62RAINY RIVER •n•
Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
R.R. 1, Devlin, Ontario POW 100
807-486-3622
• The Rurar vrnce is provided to Rainy
RAINY RIVER vALI.Pr River Federation members by the RRFA.
July 16, 2003
Summer is here and the District is
right into haying. After the rain and hot
weather, crops are doing better than a lot
of farmers expected. Good things come to
those who wait.
And because it's busy this month,
there is no RRFA meeting, so no reports
from directors. It seems not all reports are
exactly as reported. Last month it was
mentioned that Wally Hunsperger was
looking for assistance at the Community
Pasture. He also was reported to have
been looking for a replacement. He didn't
mean it — just a bad day. Everything is
going well Tammy reports, and Russ
Richards has been hired to assist Wally so
that Tammy can do the homework and
not get yelled at. It's been a very good
year at the Community Pasture to date.
Some 300 head are in the careful scrutiny
of Wally.
As of July 1, 2003, the Nutrient
Management Act was proclaimed. The
new regulations apply initially to new
livestock farms and expanding large
livestock farms. It will come into effect
September 30, 2003. For further
information on the Nutrient Management
program contact Peter Meerveld, Director
at 519-826-4975 or Mari Komljane,
manager of training and certification at
519-826-6572.
Mosquitoes have just appeared in the
District. We've had enough rain to get the
hatching started. It takes three to 15 days
for symptoms of West Nile to appear after
being bitten by an infected mosquito.
Four out of five people show no
symptoms. In rare cases, the virus causes
severe, life-threatening illness such as
encephalitis. Seek help if you have any of
the following symptoms: fever, muscle -
weakness, a stiff neck, confusion, severe
headache, sudden sensitivity to light.
Extreme swelling or infection at the site
of the mosquito bite is another reason to
seek medical help. More information on
the West Nile Virus can be obtained by
calling 1-877-234-4343 or 1-800-387-
5559.
Congratulations to Valve and Bruce
Forrest of Thunder Bay, who received the
2003 Environmental Stewardship Award
at the Ontario Cattlemen's Association
convention this spring. Bruce and Valve
will also represent Ontario at the National
Environmental Stewardship Award
competition in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
in August. The Forrests have continually
shown initiative and innovation when it
comes to making environmental
improvements to their property. They are
two really great people.
KimJo, over at the Emo Research
Station, is holding an Open House on July
29, 2003 at 7:00 p.m. Join Kim.lo and
staff for a relaxing evening and coffee
with your neighbours.
Emo Fall Fair will take place August
14-15-16 this year.
There is a lack of rainfall in the
Dryden District and friends have reported
that there is a shortage of hay to cut at
this time. Hay in the Rainy River District
is good and producers have experienced
rainfall in between, and during cuttings
this past week.
Archie and Eleanor Wiersema will be
hosting a Rainy River Hereford meeting
on July 25 at 8:00 p.m. The Association is
planning a fall cattle tour on September
27. They are asking for cattle producers
to contact the Hereford Association if you
would like to be one of the tour stops at
your farm. They want to talk about cattle,
visit and end the tour with an old-
fashioned barbecue. You can call Aaron
Kuorikoski at 483-5428 or KimJo at 482-
2863 if you want to take part.
Cattle sale dates for the Rainy River
District Cattlemen's Association are set
for September 6, October 4, and Top of
the Line, October 18.
Consumers of beef are asked to do
their part by insisting that the beef they
buy is Canadian. Despite the U.S. border
being closed, there continues to be a
significant amount of imported beef in
grocery stores and restaurants. In the
summer, during barbecue season, there is
a bigger demand for specialty cuts.
Canadians can help producers by eating
more of the less expensive cuts. With
some good recipes for marinating and
simmering, the less demanding stewing
beef, pot roasts and simmering steaks can
be very delectable. You can get some
good recipes by calling BIC at 1-888-
248-2333. Consumers can support the
country's struggling farmers by buying
Canadian beef.
Thirty participants graduated from the
Advanced Agricultural Leadership
Program in April 2003. This is a
development opportunity for men and
women actively involved in Ontario's
agriculture and food industry and rural
communities. Kelly Daynard, Ontario
Cattlemen's Association Communication
Manager was a graduate along with
Dianne Booker, OCA director.
The National Farmers' Union released
a report on May 7 of this year, stating that
half of all farm -raised kids want to take
over the farm business from their parents.
According to a national study, it was
strongest in youth involved in livestock,
except dairy, and those given a role in
farm management. The youth, however,
see that unless they have an ,'tf farm job
income, they probably can't aftord to
farm.
With the unusual weather conditions
all across the province, cattle will try
different plants. Some yard and garden
plants may be poisonous or toxic to
livestock. Some of these toxic plants are:
larkspur, arrowgrass. bracken fern,
greasewood, groundsel. milk vetches.
lupine, monkshood, death carnas, oak
tree, chokecherry, common cattail,
horsetail, mountain laurel and water
hemlock. Under normal conditions,
livestock will avoid these plants.
"What is a weed? A plant whose
virtues have not yet been discovered." —
Ralph Waldo Emerson.
This year's Rainy River Federation of
Agriculture bursary awards went to Erika
Boersma, daughter of Rick and Sue
Boersma of Stratton and to Suzanne
Brielmann, daughter of Amos and Heidi
Brielmann of Stratton. The recipient must
be a child of a RRFA member.
The Agricultural Safety Audit
Program offers several checks that
involve safety with children. Keep them
in mind and keep our children safe this
summer and all through their lives. On
our recent safety tour, a number of unsafe
practices were noted. Some people just
don't think.
Nor -West Animal Clinic has served
the district for 28 years. It's exciting to
see the lot being prepared for the new
building site on the outskirts of Fort
Frances. Dr. Dan and Dr. Chris have
travelling clinics as well: July 2 at the
Emo arena, and July 30 at the Rainy
River Legion. Appointments can be made
by calling 274-7393. Emergency number
is 274-9864.
Some residents are very angry about
the hydro bills being high. Another
resident reported waiting three weeks for
a pole to be replaced after a tree had
fallen on it. The inspector arrived, but no
pole was put in for almost two weeks,
because a contract had to be signed.
Do blondes really have more fun? Not
in lion land. Researchers planted toy lions
with manes of different colours near
females in Serengeti National Park.
Overwhelmingly, the ladies were drawn
to the shaggy brunettes. Female lions
associate dark, shaggy manes with higher
levels of testosterone.
For safety's sake, always tell someone
where you will be working or which lake
you will be fishing on. If you are in a
remote area, and you're in trouble, then
someone will know where to find you.
Keep safe!0
— By Shirley Morrish
AUGUST 2003 59