The Rural Voice, 1995-03, Page 47Agroforestry
white cedar for posts and rails or red
cedar for cabinetry, all cultured, then
thinned when ready. Larger fields
can be divided with additional
"value-added" windbreaks.
Pastures, especially poorer quality
sites, can be put into tree production,
again concentrating on trees with
economic potential. The pasture can
be surrounded with trees outside the
fencing. Pockets of livestock -
protected trees can be established
within the pasture. Trees will not
only provide shelter for livestock
from extreme seasonal heat and cold,
but will also enable a more efficient
use of your pasture with economic
diversity in valuable wood
production. Trees provide deep
nutrient cycling of soil. This is
missing on most agricultural land
where trees have been absent for
many decades. Deep nutrient cycling
can rehabilitate the fertility and
structure of depleted farm soils
within the vicinity of the tree
planting system which, in turn, will
improve and sustain the economic
output of agricultural crops.
In other countries, like New
Zealand, South America and
Southwest U.S., these ideas are
already being implemented and are
considered established practice.0
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Farm Safety
We aren't careful
enough in dusty
conditions
BY BRIAN HALL
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
ADVISOR
A dairy farmer called recently
with some farm safety concerns. He
had experienced flu-like conditions
after cleaning up in preparation for
storing the new crop. He'd been ill
for a two or three day period, but was
back to normal at the time of his call.
There are two respiratory diseases
that are caused by exposure to dusty
conditions on the farm. Farmer's
Lung is an allergy caused by dust
from moldy hay, straw and grain. In
the early stage it can seem like
nothing worse than a nagging winter
cold. If ignored, the allergic reaction
can cause permanent lung damage.
Working with dusty feed can produce
another respiratory affliction called
Toxic Organic Dust Syndrome
(TODS). It, too, is caused by
exposure to very large amounts of
dust.
Symptoms of acute Farmer's
Lung include: fever, chills, a
dripping nose, an irritating and
harassing cough, blood -streaked
sputum, laboured or difficult
breathing with a feeling of tightness
in the chest, crackling breathing,
muscular pain, and depression.
These symptoms of an acute
Farmer's Lung attack usually
decrease after 12 hours, but may
linger for up to two weeks. Severe
attacks can last as long as 12 weeks.
Well documented reference
material is available for those who
wish more information. The Farm
Safety Association offers a factsheet
entitled "Farmer's Lung: It Takes
Your Breath Away!" As well, the
Huron -Perth Lung Association has
prepared a pamphlet entitled
"Farmer's Lung".
Safety officials agree that the
farming community tends to
underestimate the potential danger of
k Alfa Laval Agri
MARCH 1995 43