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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1992-09-16, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16,1992. Speaking of Farming Fed. of By Keith Roulston Ag. elects directors VILLAGE OF BRUSSELS PUBLIC MEETING CONCERNING A PROPOSED ZONING BY­ LAW AMENDMENT School should be relative to farm kids What school in the Chicago school system has the lowest drop out rate and the highest rate of students who go on to post secondary educa­ tion? Would you believe an agricultural high school? A recent issue of Agri Marketing magazine tells the story of Chicago School for Agricultural Sciences, a small school on the edge of the city that has a waiting list to get in. Many of the students are inner city resi­ dents, kids who generally have a higher dropout rate than suburban schools. Not here. The drop out rate is one per cent. The attendance rate is 92 per cent. The students excel in math and science and 75 per cent go on to college. It’s not that the school is easy. The students take all the regular sub­ jects, plus agricultural subjects, meaning long hours of classes. While 20 credit subjects are required to graduate from Chicago schools, graduates here will have 32. Some students have to get up at five in the morning to catch a bus to get to the school, far from their down-town homes. Yet those who get into the school love it. The exciting thing about the school is how agriculture is worked into the classes and vice-versa. Kids who have to take science, for instance, learn science as related to agriculture. Then when they go into their agri­ cultural classes, they have to apply their science. The same with math, marketing and other subjects. The exciting thing about this school is that it works for the kids. Looking at it, you wonder why there isn't more of the same approach for rural kids who often feel agriculture is something to get away from as quickly as possible, a feeling often reinforced by the school system. But there’s no reason science can’t be made more interesting by relating it to things rural kids know: from the needs of a growing plant for various chemicals to the biology of a dairy cow. Maybe some of the young peo­ ple who drop out of school now because it seems so irrelevant might stick around longer. On the other hand, the thing that’s a little scary about the school is that graduates are going on to get degrees in agriculture and are being snapped up by major agri-business companies which are finding it hard to get enough farm-bred graduates to take the jobs they have to offer. It's wonderful these students have an interest in agriculture but if they think they really know farming with their limited experience, they're sadly wrong. And these are the people who will be making decisions for major farm business corporations in the future. Meantime, however, maybe we could send some of our rural educa­ tion officials down to Chicago (or New York or Philadelphia or Kansas City or Los Angeles where there are similar schools) to learn a thing or two about our own schools. Directors to the Ontario Federa­ tion of Agriculture representing the four regions in Huron County were elected at the annual regional meet­ ing of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture in Londesboho, Thursday evening. Jeanne Kirkby of Walton was returned as the director from Huron Central, representing members in McKillop, Hullett, Tuckersmith and Stanley. In Huron Northeast Heinz Claus was returned for another term to represent the town­ ships of Morris, Grey, Howick and Tumberry. In Huron Northwest, representing East and West Wawanosh, Ash­ field, Colbome and Goderich, John Rodges was elected, replacing Chris Palmer who declined to run for the position. In Huron South, Bob Down of Hensail returned for another term. Delegates to the OFA convention on Nov. 23-25 were also elected. They are: Huron Northeast— Doug Gamiss, Ernie Reesor, Bob Harri­ son; Huron Northwest — Chris Palmer, Mason Bailey, Ralph Scott; Huron Central — Bill Wal­ lace, Steve Carruthers, Doug Kirk­ by; Huron South, Jody Durand, Gerald Johns, Harry Dougall. Fewer Farmers must be alert to dangers of silo gas The Farm Safety Association recommends that farmers take extreme care this fall when filling silos. Variable growing conditions in some areas of Ontario may have created a situation where silo gas may be more of a problem this year than others. Climatic conditions play a large role in the formation of deadly silo gas, and weather conditions this summer have caused some farm safety experts to issue warnings concerning the gas. Silo gas or nitrogen dioxide is produced as a by-product of the fermentation process that takes place once plant material is put into a silo. A variety of climatic stresses on the plant material during the growing season can dramatically increase the possibility of toxic gases forming. To avoid silo gas, farmers are advised not to harvest crops immediately after a rainfall. Conversely, crops damaged by hail or frost should be harvested as quickly as possible to avoid build­ up of excess nitrate in the plant material. If weather or other factors have increased the possibility of nitrate build-up, plant material should be cut higher than normal, as excess nitrates are stored in the lower portion of com stalks. Silo gas may be visible within a few hours after silo filling and may be recognized by a bleach-like odour and may be visible as a yellowish-brown haze. Dead flies or birds at the base of the silo may also be an indicator of the gas. Once a silo is filled, it should be sealed and declared off-limits for at least a three week period. people at OFA Continued from page 17 too aloof, he reminded the farmers that every year there is a new OFA through elections at the local level. It takes one farmer to make a reso­ lution at a county meeting, he said and if enough people support it, it will go to the OFA convention. If enough people at the convention support it it will become the policy of OFA. As for bloated bureaucracy, there are fewer people working at OFA today than there were when he joined the organization four years ago, he said. TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Corporation of the Village of Brussels will hold a public meeting on Monday, October 5, 1992 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Brussels Municipal Office to consider a proposed zoning by-law amendments under Section 34 of the Planning Act, R.S.0.1990. The proposed amendment is a general amendment to the comprehensive zoning by-law for the Village of Brussels. The changes are summarized as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. a Add a definition for "bed & breakfast establishment". Bed & Breakfast Establishments would only be permitted in a "Residential Low Density (R1)" zone. Modify the provision dealing with home occupations by deleting reference to "tourist home" and by adding "a bed & breakfast establishment" as a permitted home occupation. Delete the definition for "Dwelling, Guest Or Tourist Home". Add "galvanized steel" to the list of building materials prohibited from being used on the exterior wall of any building in the municipality. Delete the parking requirements for a tourist home and insert the parking requirements for a bed & breakfast establishment. Reduce the requirement for site triangles from 15 metres to 8 metres. Increase the maximum lot coverage permitted In the "Core Area Commercial (C4)" zone from 35% to 50%. Renumber the various specific provisions of the zoning by-law to reflect the changes being made by this by-law and preceding zoning by-law amendments. Update Key Map 4 to reflect the closing of Halliday and Queen Streets and the actual alignment of Mill Street. Correct a previous mapping error which zoned the library as "CF1" when there are no provisions for the CF1 zoning. The property is rezoned to the correct "Institutional (11)" zoning. Correct a previous mapping error which zoned the Village Pumping Station as "CF1" when there are no provisions for the CF1 zoning. The property is rezoned to the correct "Institutional (11)" zoning. general amendment to the comprehensive zoning by-lawAs (16-1987) for the Village of Brussels, this proposed amendment would affect all lands within the Corporate Limits of the Village of Brussels. ANY PERSON may .attend the public meeting and/or make written or verbal representation either in support of or in opposition to the proposed zoning by-law. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION relating to this proposed zoning amendment is available for inspection between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at the Village of Brussels Municipal Office. DATED AT THE VILLAGE OF BRUSSELS THIS 16TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 1992. Donna White Clerk-Treasurer VILLAGE OF BRUSSELS P.O. Box 119, Brussels, Ont. NOG 1 HO (519) 887-6572 METRES SCHEDULE ’A' KEY MAP 4 VILLAGE OF BRUSSELS SCALE: FEET VILLAGE LIMITS cn Full Time/Part Time also Students required SALES POSITIONS AVAILABLE also Outside Maintenance Apply to Highway 4 South of Blyth BLYTH 523-4595 CUT YOURSELF A DEAL TODAY... 2EA D 4 buy1 L00p AND GET I Vtl I SECOND LOOP FREE! OFFER EXPIRES OCT. 1/92 ARGYLE MARINE & SMALL ENGINES INC. 88 Britannia Rd., Goderich This ad must be presented to receive special offer. ZONE CHANGE TO R1 (Residential Low Density) HALLDAYSl.