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Huron Expositor, 2002-08-14, Page 6Opinion Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 Tom Williscraft - Publisher Scott Hilgendorff - Editor Dionne McGrath Subscriptions/Classifieds Bernie Pugh Office/Sales Susan Hundertmark - Reporter Anne Roden - Distribution 5FSYhs dus, of S.. M.4. Colombo. - A Qubsw Compri), -mnil at est cprafrirthaj-ww.ravuolf rnm Visit our home page of www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com SUBSCRIPTION RATES: LOCAL - 32.50 a year, in advance, plus 2.28 G.S.T. SENIORS: - 30.00 a year, in advance, plus 2.10 G.S.T. USA & Foreign: 28.44 a year in advance, plus S78.00 postage, G.S.T. exempt SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Published weekly by Signal -Star Publishing at 11 Main St., Seoforth. Publication mail registration No. 0696 held at Seaforth, Ontario. Advertising is accepted on condition that in the event of a typographical error, the odvertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, wit not' be charged, but the balance of the odvertisement wit be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error, odvertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell and may be withdrawn at any time. The Huron Expositor is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproduction purposes. Changes of address, orders for subscriptions and undeliverable copies are to be sent to The Huron Expositor. Publication Mail Registration No. 07605 Wednesday, August 29, 2001 Editorial and 8asinoss O/Nsos - 11 Malo Stroot.,foaforth Vslophono (519) 527-0240 Fax 1519) 537.4858 Mailbag Address - P.O. Sox 69, Soafort6, Oataiia, NOK 1 WO Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association, Ontario Community Newspapers Association Bowes Publishers Limited "We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP), toward our mailing costs." Editorial Agri -tourism promotes understan of agrculture in Huron Something as simple in concept as a corn maze (although challenging to participants) is nothing less than a great idea for drawing people into the agricultural world around them. What could be more simple to create and yet more fun for kids than a giant maze carved into a corn field where people can wander? There appears to be a growing trend toward corn mazes in southern Ontario, revealing the potential within the agricultural industry to enhance tourism in rural areas. Agri -tourism is a growing industry in Huron County. Agriculture is the county s largest industry, followed by tourism and combining the two in what is now known. as agri-tourism is growing ,in Huron County. The past four years has seen a farm hiker tour put together in the Seaforth area where participants could follow a map that took them on tours of various agricultural producers from orchards to pig farms where activities, tours and games awaited them on each stop. Two years ago, the Huron Harvest Trail was launched --a self -guided tour of various stops across Huron County where unique agricultural products or food can be purchased or tours can be taken to help people learn about agricultural production. These kinds of promotions help draw urban people into rural areas and can help increase awareness of where their food comes from. From there, farmers may begin to see more support from people outside the agricultural industry when farmers take on certain battles such as last spring s fight for stronger government subsidies to help them compete with American farmers. It starts out with people entering a corn maze but can end with them finding their way out and to a better understanding of farm life. Scott Hilgendorff How to access us Letters to the Editor and other submissions can be made to us by noon on Mondays at: seaforth @ bow 'snet.com All letters and submissions must be signed and accompanied by a day -time telephone number. All submissions are subject to editing for both length and conpe nt. Don Y forget to check ilia our homepage ot: Commentary Third year in a row crops affected by weather and prices still dropping By Jack Wilkinson, President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture There's a lot of concern in Ontario, not just at the farm level, but throughout the rural community about the impacts we can expect from this year's drought. Grains, oilseeds and horticultural crop producers are expecting yield' reductions from 30 to 100 per cent. We heard farmers at the recent board meeting of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and before that, during farm tours, talk about how their crops have been destroyed by the heat and lack of rain. Recent rains, while variable across the province, may provide a slight reduction in the damage, but didn't come in time to be of much help. If this year's situation was unique, it might not be so unbearable. But this is the third consecutive year that weather has damaged or destroyed crops and world prices continue to fall. Farmers and the people they do business with in rural Ontario are asking how many more producers will disappear from the map this year. The impacts are beginning to be felt beyond the farm by suppliers of farm inputs. When farmers go out of production, they don’t need farm equipment; they don't need seeds; they don't need fuels and fertilizers; and rural businesses suffer. When the suffering reaches a certain level, rural Ontario will undergo major changes as businesses close and people migrate to larger urban areas to find employment and a means to sustain their families. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture doesn't like these prospects, and we continue to work with farm commodity organizations, not just in Ontario, but on a national basis, to find solutions. Earlier this year meetings were held to begin assembling an improved, "made -in -Ontario" farm income support package. We know it can't be a "one -size -fits - all" package since this province's agricultural industry is so diverse. Each commodity has specific needs and those needs have to be taken into account. Grains and oilseeds producers need a cost of production formula included in their package; red meat producers need improvements to the disaster assistance program to maintain their "green" status in the world trade arena; and there are benefits to enhancing the Net Income Stabilization Account (NISA) program. Federal Agriculture Minister Lyle Vanclief recently toured areas of Eastern Ontario and is aware of the extensive damage to crops there. He has also been to drought -stricken areas of Western Canada and knows what farmers there are demanding. Unfortunately, Mr. Vanclief, to date, is unwilling to commit to any additional support for the country's farmers. We can understand that he wants to wait until the harvest in, but we expect the Federal Government will understand the need to maintain Canada's domestic source of food. In Ontario, Premier Harris has been in rural areas and has acknowledged the desperate situation many fanners face. We have to applaud his recognition of the fact that existing programs may not be enough to meet farmers' needs. What's even better, he has suggested a willingness to consider bumping up the funding of those programs. OFA will be working very hard in the coming weeks to enhance programs our farmers will need to survive another year of unusually bad weather and commodity prices that just keep getting worse. Blyth Festival hosting golf tournament Dust off those clubs, polish off your shoes and start swinging for your local Canadian theatre. The Blyth Festival is delighted to host its second annual golf tournament on Sept. 14, at 1 p.m. at the Seaforth Golf and Country Club. The day includes great prizes, an awards ceremony, steak dinner, as well as a chance to play a round of golf with many of your favourite actors from the Blyth Festival company. The tournament highlight for true golf fanatics will undoubtedly be the Hole in One Contest. The purse for a hole in one stands at $5,000 - which the winner will share evenly with the Blyth Festival. An additional $1,000 will be donated to the winner's charity of choice. Special Events and Promotions Coordinator Melissa Hanna is thrilled with the response thus far. "We have a good number of teams already signed up, but we would love to have many more to support the Blyth Festival's capital fundraising endeavour." For more information or to purchase tickets for the Blyth Festival Golf Tournament, please call the box office at 1-877- 862-5984 or 523-4345. Space is limited, so register early. Gravelling of railway almost complete September 1, 1876 A little child, 4 years of age, son of Thos. Cornless of McKillop, near Winthrop, was so severely scalded that he died from the effects of of his injuries. The gravelling and ballasting of the London, Huron and Bruce Railway is completed as far as Rodgerville and most of the men have gone to Ilderton to complete the work on the station grounds. Men are now engaged in in putting a thick coat of gravel on Main St. of Seaforth. A very serious accident occurred at Granton which resulted in the death of Wm. Mitchell. He was struck by lightning. He was a brother of Mrs. A. Cardno of this town. Mr. Whitelaw of town has now his new foundry in full working order. Messrs. Armitage and Elliott have sold the Dominion Block, to the Consolidated Bank for $15,000. The Maitland Bank Cemetery on the concession road leading to Roxboro contains 8 1/2 acres of land. A number of men under the direction of Mr. Peters of London, have been engaged cutting roads, making walks, etc. making it into a park like place. Messrs. Smithers and Hinchley of Tuckersmith threshed on the farm of John B. Henderson, Tuckersmith, 40 hushes of oats in 8 minutes. A melancholy and fatal accident- occurred at the Kinburn cheese factory by which an old gent leman named Alexander Robinson lost his life. August 30, 1901 Wm. Bender of Zurich has purchased the confectionery stock of Mrs. D. Gottschalk and will run the business at the old stand. J. J. Merner of Zurich who left some months ago for Alberta to engage in Years agone... ranching, has disposed of his stock. D. C. McLean of Kippen made a big sale of fat cattle to Geo. Stanbury for shipment to the old country. Apple buyers are now offering $2.50 a barrel at Kippen. Much surprise and deep regret was felt on it becoming known that Miss Jane Aitcheson of Roxboro, McKillop, has passed away. ,The Seaforth Engine Works will make a good display at the Toronto Industrial this year. In the lot was a traction engine, a portable and stationery engine. Wm. Ament of town was driving over the crossing at Dick's Hotel when his horse slipped and a bone in its front leg was broken. The injury was such that the animal had to be shot. A good number of young people of town had a social hop in Cardno's Hall. During the evening they presented Aurther S. McLean with an address and nice present, prior to his leaving for the northwest. John Grieve V S. of town has erected a couple of neat posts in front of his residence on Goderich St. H. Fowler has sold his farm on the 2nd concession of Hullett, to John Carter for $3, 750. There were 105 tickets sold at Seaforth for Toronto by people taking advantage of the cheap fare. Wm. Bubolz of Tuckersmith has disposed of his fine farm on the Kippen road to Wm. Oke of Hullett. August 27, 1926 Ruskin Keys of Stanely Tivp. who has been taking a special course in Toronto is spending some time at his home on the Babylon Line, before returning to his school in Timmins. During the lightning storm which passed over Chiselhurst it hit the barn of F J. McLean and came down the siding, injuring a sow belonging to Sam Gill. Messrs. H. Shannon, W. Eaton and R. Hogg of Winthrop left for the west on the Harvester's Excursion. The congregation of the United Church, Brucefield, are pleased to learn that Rev. A. W. Bremner has accepted the call that was extended to him. Robert Cooper of Kippen, London Road, has recently purchased the threshing outfit from his nephew, Wm. R. Cooper, and intends doing his own threshing. Gordon Stewart, Doctor of Dentistry accompanied by his twin sisters, Misses Margery and Mildred of Belleville visited with their cousins, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Bolton. Misses Gretta Ross and Gladys Thompson returned on Thursday last from a 2 month trip to England and the continent. Miss Myrtle Sharkey, a graduate of Stratford Normal, has accepted a position on the staff of the Port McNichol Public School. The weatherman was not very kind but an exceptionally good crowd attended the Lions Band Tattoo held in the Driving Park, Seaforth. August 31, 1951 Residents of Brucefield for 35 years, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Boyes, celebrated their golden wedding day. The members of the family. entertained them at the Little Inn, Bayfield. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Humphries, Mr. and Mrs. Herb Traviss and Mr and Mrs. Romald Bennett attended the C. N. E. A deep lavender seedling gladioli entered by Tyndall Gladioli Gardens won an award at the New England Society show held at Boston, Mass. Flight Cadet J. A. Laudenbach, Seaforth, received his commission as a Pilot Officer in a ceremony held at the R. C. A. F. Station, Clinton. Rev. John Stapleton, C. S. B. Toronto officiated at the wedding of Marian Theresa Kale, St. Columban when she became the bride of Francis Stephen Murray of Walton. September 2, 1976 A weather radar station I4miles south-west of Seaforth which should improve weather forecasting for Huron County has been stalled because of technical flaws. A Walton man lost his life Tuesday in a grader accident. Donald Achilles, 35, an employee of the Huron County roads department was run over by a road grader he was operating on County Road 30, north of Fordwich. Dianne Frances Stapleton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fergus Stapleton of Dublin recently graduated from St. Joseph's Hospital School of Nursing (Fanshawe College). She received her elementary schooling at St. Patrick's, Dublin and is a graduate of Mitchell District High School. About 165 friends and relatives were on hand Saturday to help Mel and Eva Clarke of R. R. 3 Lions Head, celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary at the Seaforth Curling Club. They were former residents of Varna and Seaforth. Linda Vincent, daughter of Marlen and Jane Vincent, has recently returned from a 22 day Lions International exchange visit to Norway. Linda immensely enjoyed her trip and hopes to return sometime for a winter tour.