The Rural Voice, 1998-02, Page 50BRUCE
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
44610th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1 P9
519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551
' The Rural Voice is provided to Bruce
County Farmers by the BCFA.
Ice storm brings sobering thoughts
As I write this, it's the second
week of ever -more depressing reports
from our eastern townships. Gerrie
Blake, our member service rep. for
OFA, left her post in Grey -Bruce to
survey rural areas for people still
without power for cooking or
milking. The horror stories are just
beginning to come back. Could you
imagine hand -milking 30 cows by
yourself for 10 days running? Could
you imagine after completing such an
arduous task, then going to a cold,
dark house to enjoy a cold meal in the
candlelight?
Every country of the world has its
share of natural and man-made
calamities. Sometimes I wonder
about the design of the Creator. Such
calamities must teach us the awesome
power of nature, but more
importantly, the need to count our
blessings and to do our utmost to help
those in need.
Ontario Rural Relief Fund to help farmers
devastated by storm
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture has launched the Ontario Rural Relief
Fund to help farmers in the storm -ravaged areas of Eastem Ontario cope with
what is deemed by many to be the "largest natural disaster in Canadian history".
OFA hopes the fund will help cover the cost of items not covered by
insurance policies.
The much-needed resources will be used to restore livestock systems, replace
pumps, electrical lines and transformers on farmers' properties (which farmers
traditionally must pay to replace themselves) as well as tractor and generator
damage and livestock injury.
There are four dedicated lines set up for contributions. To make a donation
of $25 dial 1-900-630-0025; for $50 donations 1-900-630-0050; for $125
donations 1-900-630-0125; and for $250 donations 1-900-630-0250.
Contributions will be charged to the telephone number donors call from (on
your phone bill). Tax receipts will also be issued to the name of the person to
whom the telephone number is registered.
Interested donors can opt to send cheques payable to the "Ontario Rural
Relief Fund", c/o the Foundation For Rural Living, 150 Geddes Street, Elora,
Ontario, NOB ISO. A tax receipt will be issued. 100 per cent of all donations
will go to the relief fund.0
ONTARIO ENVIRONMENTAL FARM PLAN
Schedule of Workshops
to help Bruce County Farmers to fill out Environmental Farm Plans
Environmental Farm Plan Workshops will each have two sessions scheduled one week apart.
Environmental Farm Plans will help Ontario farm families to identify simple,
practical goals for improving environmental quality.
Workshops are being conducted by your local Soil and Crop Improvement Association, with
funding provided by Agriculture and Agri -Food Canada through the CanAdapt Program
administered in Ontario by the Agriculture Adaptation Council.
1998 WORKSHOPS
Paisley January 29 & February 5 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Arkwright February 1 & 9 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Walkerton February 18 & 25 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Mildmay February 24 & March 3 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Lucknow March 5 & 12 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Chesley March 10 & 17 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
To register call the Walkerton OMAFRA Office 881-3301 or 1-800-265-3023
For more information call John Wilton 367-2408
46 THE RURAL VOICE
Humanity's small mind can never
conceive the irreparable damage to
the natural environment we have
contributed to — through our
aggressive pursuit of wealth and
power.
But in a time of crisis, there is no
need to point fingers or to calculate
or change government policy or to
improve efficiencies. We know
instinctively that to generously and
speedily respond to those in need is
not just to relieve our conscience but
is also an act of good will. This act is
also a contribution to the "common
good". Such an endeavour builds
trust and the response of appreciation
will benefit us all — sometime,
somewhere in the future. Such too is
the reward for involvement in farm
organizations, such as OFA, who
work for the common good.
Many of us have connections with
people "down under ice". A law of
nature is that all things are connected.
So too is the future of the maple,
firewood, dairy and many other
industries to the ultimate future of our
country.
Our ability to respond in
generosity to the needs of others is a
clear reflection of the strength of our
future as farmers and as Canadians.
A true sign of thankfulness is the act
of sharing with those less fortunate.
Do our actions reveal our inner
sentiment?0
submitted by Gerald Poechman
BCFA President
BRUCE COUNTY
FEDERATION OF
AGRICULTURE
Directors' Meeting
Monday, February 23, 1998
8:00 p.m.
OMAFRA Boardroom, Walkerton
Members are welcome to attend