The Rural Voice, 1987-08, Page 24A 8 It te 8466.
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FREY CALF CREEP
anniversary. According to Mary
Gillespie, the organization's president,
its success is due to the volunteer
labour that directors and members of
the organization provide. "We are
dependent upon the membership to
run the association through the board
of directors," she says, "We have only
one paid employee."
The OVFA's members have input
into the issues that are to be dealt with
by the board, and action committees
are formed to solve problems. The 12
directors and the members at large
mount promotional activities for the
organization through displays at malls,
the Royal Winter Fair, local fairs, and
media contacts. They publish 20,000
copies of the Farm Vacation Direc-
tory, which describes member farms,
and 20,000 general flyers about the
OVFA itself. The material is distrib-
uted through tourist information
centres. Members of the OVFA are
also listed in the front of the Ontario
Accommodation Guide put out by the
Ministry of Tourism — 500,000
copies are distributed worldwide.
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22 THE RURAL VOICE
The OVFA, says Mary Gillespie,
has much to offer host farmers who
join. In addition to advertising, the
OVFA as a provincial organization
speaks as one voice for farm hosts,
acting as liaison to the Ministry of
Tourism and the Ministry of Agricul-
ture and Food. The organization also
holds an annual business conference
as well as a number of regional con-
ferences to give members an chance
to meet each other and to provide
educational opportunities on promo-
tion and hosting. The membership fee
is $175, in addition to which members
can buy a group liability insurance
policy through the OVFA.
According to Gillespie, "90 per
cent of the farms currently in the
association are what you'd call
working farms. Then there is a 10 per
cent gray area, such as farmers who no
longer t'arm or hosts who have been
allowed to join because they are loca-
ted in an isolated area where there just
are not many hosts but we feel it is of
prime concern."
Regional directors conduct inspec-
tions and a point system is used as a
criteria for membership. Points are
allotted for hospitality, suitable ac-
commodation, maintenance of the
facility, a family-owned and operated
farm, a suitable location, and accord-
ing to whether or not the potential host
files income tax as a farmer.
Points are also allotted for access
to farm animals. "Farm animals are
by far one of the biggest attractions for
visitors," Gillespie says. She is quick
to point out, however, that poultry and
swine operators aren't obliged to
allow guests to tour their facilities.
Identifying agricultural practices that
are part of a poultry or swine oper-
ation — such as not allowing strangers
into the barn — is part of the guests'
education about farm life, she notes.
"Many people who
no longer have a
relationship to a farmer
but remember one in their
childhood are willing to pay
for their children to
experience it."
Farm families who meet the
criteria for membership must also
provide the OVFA with a safe water
certificate. They then receive a gate
sign, which identifies them as mem-
bers, to post at the end of their lane -
way.
Does becoming an OVFA host
mean extra work for the farm family?
"Yes, it does," Gillespie says, "but
it's worth it." Aside from monetary
benefits, OVFA hosts meet guests
from around the world. "We leam
just as much from them as they do
from us."
Farmers interested in receiving
additional information on the Ontario
Vacation Farm Association should
write the organization at R. R. 2,
Vanleek Hill, Ontario, KOB 1R0.0