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Home My WebLink AboutThe Huron Expositor, 1994-03-16, Page 78Paas 16A -Farm Progress 106 CLEAN FIELDS DELIVER YIELDS • With No Carry Over From Growing Season To Growing Season! CHECK MATEEc The Herbicide for preemergent use in soybeans and potatoes! Only available from your local Clean Crop dealer, your source for quality crop protection products. For your local Clean Crop dealer call: United Agri Products at 1-800-265-4624. United Ayr1 Produces Now available in farm sized Quarter Paksl (comes with spigot) 789 Donnybrook Road, R.R.# 2, Dorchester, Ontario NOL 1G5 H & B ELPHICK CHEMICALS LTD. RR #3 LUCKNOW Harold 395-5307 Barry 395-3181 ODUL1WG U ID RIGLIRCDUMEID ELECTROMIX SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS • Electric low horse -power system • 24' propeller agitator with knife to cut straw • Positive hydraulic transfer pump Tree from clogging or winding STATIONARY AGI -POMPE SPECIFICATIONS • PTO driven • Very high agitation capacity •Reliable even under poor working conditions Small town editor checks out the Ontario Farm Show So you're wondering what's new in the world of farming? What 10 do? The best place to find out is the Ontario Farm Show, so I thought, why not. I gambled I would gain some insight into the latest agricultural technology and drove to Toronto to find out. It is ironic that I had to go to the biggest city in Canada, of all places, to find out about farming! So what's new? How about a fully automated milking system! I'm a farm boy at heart and this is truly good news for dairymen and milkmaids. Good bye aching backs. So long sore knees. Now you can milk your cows without leaving the comfort of your living room. Yes, push button farming has reached unprecedented heights. Oh, did I mention the $350,000 price tag? Luke de Lange, president of Lely Corp. in the U.S., couldn't hold his excitement as he told me his com- pany, (whose head office is in Holland), said Lely was the first in the world to have a fully automated milking system, in the "field", working. No, a robotocized farmer isn't taking over teat massaging chores. Instead, a complex computer program combined with the newest milking machine technology are able to do what only humans could do in the past. In this new, high tech milking parlor, cows line up, enter the milking area in groups of four, eight, 12, 16, etc. Around their necks are chains that hold computer chips. A computer reads the informa- tion and determines how much feed the cow will receive. The feed system is automated and once a cow finishes her portion, it's time for Mr. Automatic Milk Machine. The machine, gingerly too, attaches itself to the cow's milking end of the business. Each unit has a readout and tells the farmer how fast the cow is milking, how much she's producing, and when she's finished The unit then disconnects itself and sprays the udder with a fine mist of water, De Lange says the system is good for the average faun operation --about 75 cows --and higher. Talk about push button farming! So what else was new at the famt show? Well, I collected information on tractors, compact tractors in particular. If you want one of these fancy machines to cut your lawn, get ready for a $1O-$20,000 price tag. The end price is determined by the number of goodies you desire, such as front-end loader, snowblower, rototiller, four-wheel drive, well, you get the idea. Hey, no robots though. The big Ford line of tractors also have a new look. The engine hoods have a streamlined look, giving the big machines a classy styling. I asked a fellow from Walkerton what machinery he'd purchased, and he pointed to a big John Deere. "It has wheel -wells big enough you can sleep in," he exclaimed. Feed tanks, stabling systems, manure handling equipment, tractors, tilling equipment, ice cream, toy tractors and tools were just some of the things to see at the Farm Show, located across from the airport in the International Trade Centre. The farm show, while allowing farmers the chance to see the latest in technology, also allows farmers a chance to dream. Besides, it's February, spring planting is only two months away, and we're all sick and tired of trying to start the old tractor to blow snow. Everyone I spoke to said this year's show was well attended. Said the male cashier in the cafeteria, "It was nuts in here yesterday." It's been said farmers are a good indicator on•how well the Canadian economy is doing, or if a poor economy is about to turn around. I would suggest that the indicators from this year's Farm Show are that the recession is finally over. Farmers are an optimistic lot and if they re out shopping, watch out. by Ron Wassink MOBILE HOMES For Resale Reasonably Priced - NEW PARKLAND HOMES - HURON HAVEN VILLAGE R.R. 6 Goderich CaII 524-5534 ■ C RACrERLSTICS • Daily agitates and transfers manure from the ham to a , pit or above ground storage MAGNUM SPECIFICATIONS • Low pressure hydraulic system • 2 guilllotine door combined to a stainless steel cylinder - positive underground evacuation • Easy to Install 16 steel evacuation pipe CHARACTERLSTICS • Agitates and transfers manure from the barn or barnyard to a lagoon pit or above ground storage COMPRIMAIR SPECIFICATIONS • Air system • I guillotine door for full stroke capacity • Easy to Install 24- or 30- steel evacuation pipe cHARACrERLSTICS CHARACTERISTICS • Evacuates manure from a tie stall or free stall barn • Can be fed by I or 2 berm cleaners • Can evacuate manure from a tie stall or free stall barn with up to 120animals in just one stroke Complete line of manure & feed handling equipment Available at G & B FARM EQUIPMENT RR1 Neustadt, Ont. 799-5584 "Where Price & Quality Meet" ■ For All Your Building Needs See u. At: WATSON HOME HARDWARE & BUILDING CENTRE Gorrie *Quotes Available 335-3551 ■ ■ ■ C RACrERLSTICS • Daily agitates and transfers manure from the ham to a , pit or above ground storage MAGNUM SPECIFICATIONS • Low pressure hydraulic system • 2 guilllotine door combined to a stainless steel cylinder - positive underground evacuation • Easy to Install 16 steel evacuation pipe CHARACTERLSTICS • Agitates and transfers manure from the barn or barnyard to a lagoon pit or above ground storage COMPRIMAIR SPECIFICATIONS • Air system • I guillotine door for full stroke capacity • Easy to Install 24- or 30- steel evacuation pipe cHARACrERLSTICS CHARACTERISTICS • Evacuates manure from a tie stall or free stall barn • Can be fed by I or 2 berm cleaners • Can evacuate manure from a tie stall or free stall barn with up to 120animals in just one stroke Complete line of manure & feed handling equipment Available at G & B FARM EQUIPMENT RR1 Neustadt, Ont. 799-5584 "Where Price & Quality Meet" ■ For All Your Building Needs See u. At: WATSON HOME HARDWARE & BUILDING CENTRE Gorrie *Quotes Available 335-3551 ■ ■