The Rural Voice, 2004-07, Page 14READY TO LAY
PULLETS
WHITE & BROWN EGG LAYERS
FISHER POULTRY FARM INC.
AYTON ONT NOG ICC
519-665-7711
BEEF GALORE IN 2004
-„ ri.p AT THE
LISTOWEL
FAIR
JULY 15T" -18T", 2004
July 15th
Parade at 7 pm, followed by the
opening ceremonies
at the grandstand,
Ambassador Competition and
entertainment by "Instant Replay".
Special guest Ross Daily
will open the fair.
July 16'
Seniors Day, Kids Pedal Tractor
Pull, CKNX 920 Country Video
Dance Party - In front of the
"new" grandstands
9 pm to I am.
July 17`"
Kids Day, Magic Show & Kelly the
Clown, Open Dairy Show, Vintage
Farm Show, Baby Show, Heavy
Horse Show and Pet Show
Tractor Pull at 5 pm.
July 18`°
Church Service at 10 am, Western
Horse Show, Dairy Goat Show,
Ontario Youth Talent Show,
Demolition Derby at 7 pm with
special event Motorcycle Stunt Show
& Ladies Powder Puff Challenge.
Enjoy Townsend Amusements
all weekend!
For your FREE fair schedule
call 519-291-2776
"See you at Ole Pietowel 3.ain
wileee tAe town and tfe cauntty meet!"
10 THE RURAL VOICE
Mabel's Grill
The
world's
problems
are
solved
dally
round
the table
at
Mabel's.
"Well there sure wasn't much talk
about agriculture in the election
campaign." said Dave Winston one
day in Mabel's morning roundtable
discussion.
"Aren't we lucky then," said
George McKenzie. "Maybe they'll
leave us alone."
"I thought you wanted the
government to do something about
opening the border to live cattle,"
said Cliff Murray.
"Sure, but I'd have to vote
Republican to vote for a party that
could make that happen. wouldn't I?"
said George. "I mean the border's not
going to open until it's in the best
interests of Americans to open it. As
long as everybody's making good
money over there and there's an
election in November, they're not
going to rock the boat."
"Isn't it funny," said Dave, "that
their agriculture sector seems to be
steaming along making good money
yet the politicians still listen to them
while here, we're in deep trouble
with a negative net farm income yet
we get ignored."
"Yeh but over there they aren't
ashamed to still have farmers and
people living in the country," said
Cliff. "Here it's just not 'hip' to talk
about farmers and loggers. We want
to boast about our cities and
information technology, not boring
old stuff like food and wood."
"So you get guys like that Nation-
al Post writer who talk about `writing
off rural Ontario," said Dave.
"If I worked for The National Post
I wouldn't be even bringing up the
phrase `writing off'," said Cliff.
"Somebody might like the idea and
put that money -loser out of its
misery."
"Ah it won't be long before they
turn the whole of the province into
greenbelt like they're doing around
Toronto," said George. "They'll tell
us we can keep on farming as long as
we wear straw hats and overalls and
don't use any chemicals."
"Or spread manure," said Cliff..
"And keep three pigs and two
cows and a horse," said Dave.
"Of course we'll all have to study
to be lawyers to make a living so we
can still afford to farm," said Cliff.
"Huh, seems to me you need to
study to be a lawyer now just to
understand all the new rules and
regulations they're throwing at us."
said George.
"When 1 was over in England a
few years ago it seemed the whole
countryside was being designed for
people to come out from the cities
and either buy country property or
just hike around," said Dave.
"Yeh and in some places people
have the right to hike right over your
farm if they want." said Cliff.
"Sure but they probably get
subsidies for it over there," said
George. "Here they want to tell us
what we can do with our land, have
us produce food for nothing and cut
all the government assistance."
"I thought you were against
government subsidies," said Molly
Whiteside as she refilled George's
coffee cup.
"I am against subsidies," said
George. "I wouldn't touch a penny of
government money if people would
just pay me what it really costs to
produce their food."
"Yeh, well I wouldn't mind if
somebody'd put a few cheques in my
mailbox now and then," said Mabel
from behind the counter. "People
don't realize how hard it is to keep a
place like this going."
"Yeh, we have to along without
subsidies," said Molly.
"What about the tips customers
pay you?" asked Dave. "Isn't that
subsidizing your wages?"
"That's not a subsidy, that's a
gratuity," said Molly. ,
"Well I could use an extra 15 per
tent on top of what I get for my
lamb," said Cliff.
"Hey." said Geroge, "if the
government comes up with some
money to help us out on BSE I'm
going to say it's not a'subsidy, it's a
`gratuity'."0