The Rural Voice, 1998-08, Page 6TEESWATER
ACRO PARTS
R.R. #2, Teeswater, Ontario NOG 2S0
Phone 519-392-6111
Fax 519.392-8099
New and Used Parts for all makes
and models. Complete line of belts,
bearings, chains, batteries.
WANTED — Tractors and
Farm Equipment for wrecking
LARGE SELECTION OF USED TRACTORS
AND EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
Shop and On -Farm Repairs to all makes
BRUCE COUNTY
PLOWING MATCH
September 3 & 4
at the farm of
RAY ANGEL
Conc. 11, Lot 30
Arran Twp.
NOON
BAR-B-QUE
Awards Presentation
after judging completed
President
Bill McCulloch
519-363-2700
For information or tractors
contact Bonnie or Roger Thorne
at 519-934-2202 or
Fax 519-934-3173
2 THE RURAL VOICE
Gisele Ireland
A bargain on pickled pigs' feet
A couple of decades ago a cry
went through the farming population
that advised, specialize, specialize,
specialize. A lot of us did, and it was
good for a few, mediocre for some
and downright
disastrous for a
lot.
There is in
my opinion, a
similar chant
echoing right
now. It's
shouting,
amalgamate!
amalgamate!
amalgamate!
I'll leave the
political
rhetoric to the
experts and ask
you to imagine amalgamating with
the other families on the concession
you live on, for the sole purpose of
saving money, which I gather is the
political gist of all this tumult. You
will note the carrot here is money,
which is the lousiest motivator
known to mankind. It makes people
do things they end up paying for in
much more precious commodities,
such as loyalty, honour, faith and
love.
In order to save a lot of money, all
farmers on our line will now drive
the same model of tractors as we can
get a discount by buying several
dozen at a time. Anyone with a
particular fondness for a certain kind
of tractor had better get over it fast as
tractor rage is not a pretty sight.
Mind you, you can paint it green, or
red, or yellow after you get it if it
will make you feel better.
The roads will be plowed at a
given time, consensus being taken
from the 20 families living on the
road. If you're the only one who has
a shift job and leaves at 4:00 a.m. to
get there and the majority don't need
the road open for a couple of hours
after that, get a dog sled, change your
job or move.
The central food buyer has found
a tremendous bargain on tuna fish,
pickled pigs' feet and lemon pie
filling. When the truck delivers yours
(at least a three-month supply) be
grateful it saved you money, and
hope the next bargain that comes
down the pike will be something you
like to eat
Clothing needs are easy. Buy a
load of one -size -for -all sweatshirts,
in dark blue and jeans in graduating
waist sizes. Forget the slim fit, the
tapered, the boot and the chunky
thigh cuts. They just add to the cost.
If you want to tamper with them after
you get them, go ahead.
Now comes the tricky part. What
happens if some people have special
medical needs, children have
learning disabilities and we have
elderly people in our families that
need more than we can give them at
home. Don't despair, we've
amalgamated and centralized so the
very best is available to you,
providing you can drive there.
One facility is two hours east, the
other is one hour north and the most
important takes a full day to get there
and back. Just think of all the money
we've saved.
Before you conclude that I've
been watching the X -Files too long,
think about your own family. Were
all your children the same, with
identical needs and wants? To the
best of your ability you tried to meet
their needs which is what small
independent communities have done
up to now.
Amalgamation may be forced
upon us, but I know the independent,
innovative and proud rural
communities will again form their
own local interest groups that will
serve their particular areas, with their
own initiative and money and bypass
the government machine that's going
to be very expensive, fraught with
dissension and practically
ineffective. I'm counting on it
because 1 prefer liverwurst to pickled
pigs' feet.0
Gisele Ireland, from Bruce County, is
an author of several humorous books
on farm life.