The Rural Voice, 1992-07, Page 62Mac Bolton retires
as Bruce Ag. Rep.
after 22 years
An institution in agriculture in
Bruce County will be missing after
long years.
M.R. "Mac" Bolton, stepped
down at the end of May as
Agricultural Representative for
Bruce County after more than 20
years on the job. He was the seventh
Ag. Rep. in Bruce, but only the
second since George Gear took over
the job in 1939. He took over the job
on Sept. 1, 1970.
"The technical part of the job
changes constantly," he said in a
farewell comment. "In my lifetime
horses have been replaced as the
source of field power and electricity
has relieved people of many
laborious jobs. The people part of the
job never changes. The farm people
in Grey, York, Lanark and Bruce
counties have all been tremendous to
work for through thick and thin."
The Bruce County farming
community will pay tribute to his
years of service with a special
appreciation night at the Knights of
Columbus Hall, Walkerton on
August 14. Tickets are $15 and
available through the Walkerton
OMAF office or local farm groups.
But for Bolton, it's not really an
end. He plans to pursue a wood-
working hobby, some farming and
forestry interests. "It is the end of
one career and hopefully I'm
prepared for the next one," he said.0
People
Farm leader heads
Grey planning group
A Grey County farmer has been elected
president of the Grey Association for
Better Planning (GABP). Grant Preston
of Proton Township brings wide
experience to his new post.
"I decided to join GABP in late 1989
because it appeared that the planning
process was being abused in Grey
County," Preston said.
Born in Chatham, Preston attended
elementary and secondary schools in
Hamilton, then majored in Animal
Husbandry at the Ontario Agricultural
College, graduating in 1952. He served
three years as assistant agricultural
representative before beginning to farm in
Proton Township in 1955. He married
Edith Scott of Proton Twp. and they have three sons and one daughter. For the
past 20 years he has operated a 400 ewe commercial sheep flock.
But he has been not been tied up down on the farm. He served on Proton
Township Council for 11 years, two as deputy reeve and four as reeve from 1975
to 1978. For the past 10 years he has been drainage superintendent. His election
as Reeve, which took him to Grey County Council, led to the observation that "it
was the reeves of municipalities which had most development taking place who
complained most of lack of money to provide services required in their
townships." GABP, he says, "seeks to encourage better land use planning in Grey
County to protect our future."
As well as his municipal work, Preston has held leadership positions in 12
agricultural organizations including present chairmanship of the Saugeen Country
Sheep and Wool Fair. Other organizations he has been involved in include the
Proton Township and Grey County Federations of Agriculture, Board of
Agriculture, the Board of the Ontario Stockyards, Canadian Co-operative Wool
Growers, Grey-Dufferin Community Pasture, Grey County Farm Safety Council
and the 4-H Club. He was winner of the Tommy Cooper Award in 1979 for his
significant contributions to agriculture.0
Grant Preston: wide background.
Local leaders in Farm Dealers' Assoc.
Marlen Vincent of Seaforth was elected second Vice -
President of the Ontario Retail Farm Equipment Dealers'
Association (ORFEDA:) at its annual convention.
Vincent was among a number of dealers from the
region who were elected to prominent positions with the
non-profit, voluntary provincial association which was
founded in 1945. Others include Bob Caldwell, Hensall;
Bob Downham, Stratford and Bill Brown of Stratford
who is North American Director for the association.
ORFEDA conducts training and provides in house
computer systems for members.0
Executive members: (front, 1. to r.) Dave Black, Karl
Davis, Paul Elliott, Martin Oleson, Marlen Vincent,
Alex Lush; (back) John Bouwers, Bob Caldwell, Bob
Downham, Art Rienstra, Don Richards, Peter Follett.
(Absent Bill Brown and Ross Wilson)