The Rural Voice, 2006-10, Page 3About this issue
Shaping a niche
As mass production and mass marketing become ever
more massive through globalization, it's ironic that markets
open up for the kind of small-scale operations that once
helped most of our communities grow from backwoods
settlements to full-fledged towns and villages. Many of us
don't want what everybody else has: we want to express
our individuality through unique touches.
And so the door is open for the success of companies
like Hamilton Wood Products of Atwood. As we look at
wood and woodlots in our October issue, this small
company offers woodlot owners the opportunity to turn
trees cut on their own land into flooring or trim for their
homes. It's a service that is obviously needed because the
company has boomed since Rob and Leanne Hamilton
started it as a sideline venture to his construction business.
Growth was so fast, he soon shut down as a builder to
concentrate on making trim, flooring, doors, even swing
seats, taking the wood from log to shaped wood. We have
the story of that growth this month.
Also this month, managing the woodlot on a farm often
doesn't get as much attention as managing your crops or
livestock, but acre -for -acre it can produce more income
than the rest of your farm. Where can you turn to for
advice?
Farmers have long reduced household expenses by
going to the bush to cut wood to heat the house. We used to
call it burning wood, but the fancy name these days is
burning "bio -mass". For Don Nott of Nott Farms in
Clinton, the future of farming may be in biomass energy.
Following the success of selling his pellets made from
fines from his oat processing business to heat greenhouses,
he's now exploring growing switch grass to be made into
pellets for heating. We spoke to him for this issue.
Arnold Mathers just wanted to qualify for a grant to fix
the eavestroughs on his barn so he entered the world of the
Environmental Farm Plan. It was an enlightening
experience and he tells us about it.
Bonnie Gropp's recipe collection this month features
Ontario -grown vegetables like pumpkins, carrots and
broccoli to create exotic Asian dishes from stir -fry to
salads.
Patti Robertson uses her Decorating column to illustrate
how thankful we should be this Thanksgiving.0
Update
Help on the web for stress
Over the years we have published many articles on
organizations created to help farm families deal with the
stress of difficult economic times. One of the services
offered is The Farm Line.
Recently, The Farm Line announced the launch of a
newly -designed web site. The site contains information on
various topics dealing with financial and legal subjects,
self-help, stess and many other topics. There are links to a
variety of subjects including your local weather, business
management tools and programs, some humour and a
calendar of events where you can have your events posted
and keep up with what's happening in the rural community.
The on-line Resource Directory allows you to find the
public services available in each community across
Ontario.
To obtain this information visit www.thefatmline.ca
CORRECTION: In our August 2006 issue on Think
Plastics Inc. and recycling of bale wrap, we mentioned
there are 28 collection sites in Ontario but stated most have
a tipping fee for receiving plastic. However, according to
Lisa Lackenbaurer of Think Plastics Inc., all municipalities
have waived their tipping fees to encourage farmers to drop
off material. We apologize for any confusion resulting from
our error.0
Th`Rural Voice
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