HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Rural Voice, 2004-03, Page 55RAINY RIVER
R.R. 1, Devlin, Ontario POW 1C0
807-486-3622
'The Rural n me is provided to Rainy
AlitiiillIL
Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
RAINY RIVER VALLEY River Federation members by the RRFA.
February 10, 2004
After pushing and shovelling snow
for the past three months, it's kind of
nice to see the sunshine and milder
weather coming. The cowboys who are
calving right now are also feeling better
about the temperatures. Larry Lamb over
at Purity Seeds at Emo, has special seed
sales and wife Linda is ready to be a 4-H
leader, so spring is in the air, here in the
Rainy River District.
The February RRFA meeting was at
the Emo Curling Club with Bernie
Zimmerman, Linda Armstrong, KimJo
Bliss, Rudy Sinninghe, Clayton Teeple,
Shirley Morrish, Kristine Carpenter,
Susan Boersma, James Gibson and
Angela Halvorsen attending.
President, Bernie is organizing an Ag
Days event along with OMAF's Gary
Sliworsky, for sometime in March, if
enough volunteers can lend a hand in
getting things co-ordinated.
Since Punxsutawney Phil from
Pennsylvania replaced Meteorological
prophet, Wiarton Willy who died in
1999 and saw his shadow on February 2,
it means six more weeks of winter.
Either way, there will be six more weeks
of the snow season.
Rainy River District Cattlemen's
Association held their annual meeting
with Roger Griffiths from Dryden as
guest speaker. He presented an update
on the BSE situation. Elections were
held and directors are Peter Spuzak,
Aame Hahkalo, Len Kuorikoski, Murray
Gemmell, Jim McDermid, Doug
Hartnell, Tony Flatt, Stefan Szeder,
Archie Wiersema, Rick Boersma, Steve
Loshaw and provincial director to the
OCA Advisory Council, Tom Morrish.
The OCA annual meeting delegates are
Clayton Teeple and Shirley Morrish.
The first sale of the year, announced by
sales manager Russ Richards, will be
April 24. Assistant manager is Clayton
Teeple.
Dr. Chris Cannon from the NorWest
Animal Clinic in Fort Frances is
officially gone now. Dr. Wayne
Etherington is officially on duty joining
Dr. Dan Pierroz, contract vet. A farewell
party is being planned for Dr. Chris for
some time in May or June when he
returns for the school year-end. He will
be visiting his family during the March
break and needs that time for his kinfolk.
We will miss him, that's for sure.
The Municipality of Chapple will be
hosting a reunion of all former schools
of Chapple during the week of July 30 -
August 1. Rick Neilson and Dianne
Stafford will be giving lessons in face
carving on tree stumps. For details and
registration call 807-483-5585.
Bird Flu has broken out in southern
China and across parts of Asia.
Scientists have come up with the theory
that viruses of farmers and fowl may
mingle or trade genes. An Avian Flu by-
product can then incubate in pigs, which
in turn reinfects humans. Farmers and
traders go on to mix with city folk, who
hop the globe by jet, while trucks haul
their teeming flocks to faraway places.
And on and on.
In Seattle. Washington. Rippe's, a
local waterfront steak and seafood
restaurant have begun serving filet
mignon steaks dusted with dark espresso
coffee. They rub the coffee on just
before grilling, making the steak
crunchy and smelling of the coffee
flavour. The steaks go for $29 U.S.
Now, I'm wondering, since the border
has dosed to the good Canadian beef, is
this a way of covering the taste of the
U.S. beef when people have been eating
less beef because of BSE.
There's been a dramatic change in
the food market and nutritionists say that
meat and eggs are in with breads,
potatoes, and pastas out. Low-carb
drinks are better. This has been the latest
finding for replacing flab and firming
abs. Whatever turns them on.
Did you know that humans and
elephants are the only animals that can
stand on their heads'?
A couple of meetings ago, Linda
handed out brochures from Ottawa
County. Holland Michigan. It explains
to city people considering buying or
renting in the country. that beautiful
rural vistas depend on long hours, loud
machinery and yes, lots of manure. So,
they hand out this scratch -and -sniff
panel that delivers a manure odour. If
people feel they can tolerate farming
practices after they read and sniff the
brochure. then they'll have no excuse to
complain about farming smells and
noises. Some 4,000 copies were printed
at 50 cents each and were gone in 10
days. Orders for 8,000 more have been
placed. Banks, realtors, mortgage
companies and title -search companies
are getting the brochures into the
shoppers' hands before they purchase
land or build in farming areas. It's a
reality check. People are very naive
about farming.
The Rainy River Valley Agricultural
Society has a new board of directors, but
are looking for a president and to fill
four vacancies on the hoard. The
executive so far includes Cecil Ogden,
Gary Judson, Joyce Meyers, Bill James,
James Gibson, Marlin Carr, Jan
Halvorsen, Jason Teeple, Nicole
Brumwell, Lois Caul, Candy
Greengrass, Julia Teeple, Shirley Teeple
and Harold Kellar. They meet the
second Tuesday of each month.
People are still buying pieces of land
on Mars and shares in stars. How can
anyone here on earth, sell something
they don't own? Are those humans so
gullible, or do they have no other ways
of spending money?
Rainy River District 4-H Leaders'
Association held their annual meeting
with a potluck supper at the Seniors'
Centre in Stratton. Many enjoyed the
different variety of homemade dishes
and afterwards, while Ted Heyens and
Tom Morrish did the dishes, the leaders
had their meeting.
The executive will remain as before.
President is Kari (Vos) Lemelin; Vice -
President, Ken Fisher; Secretary, Cindy
Nielson and Treasurer, Carol Angus.
Ontario 4-11 Council Director is Ellen
Chojko-Bolec. Local beef contact is
Susan Irvine and the local contact person
is KimJo Bliss. New membership fees
for 2004 have been raised to $35 for the
year. As of December 1, 2003 there
were 67 members, 30 volunteer leaders
and three youth leaders, being Aaon
Kuorikosk, Logan Donaldson and
Nathalie Donaldson. A ski trip to
Biwabik is on the agenda for March
break. Call Tracy Hyatt at 486-3479 for
details. This bus -ski trip will be in place
of the annual skating party.
If You Can ...
If you can start the day without caffeine
or pep pills,
If you can be cheerful, ignoring aches
and pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring
people with your trouble,
If you can eat the same food everyday
and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when loved ones
are too busy to give you time,
If you can overlook when people take
things out on you even though through
no fault of yours, something goes wrong,
If you can take criticism and blame
without resentment,
If you can face the world without lies
and deceit,
If you can conquer tension without
medical help,
If you can relax without liquor,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs
Then you're probably a dog.0
— Submitted by Shirley Morrish
MARCH 2004 51