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Farm Progress, March 18, 2009 - Page 17
Bruce County Junior Farmers is for every rural area youth
BY GARrr REID
Sentinel Staff
The Junior Farmers
Association of Ontario
started in 1944 and at their
peak had around 10,000
members. This was in its
hay day and when the
organization was support-
ed by the rural extension
of the Ontario govern-
ment.
Today JFAO does not
have as many members,
with only about 500 mem-
bers strong, they are sole-
ly, funded through the sup-
port
p -
port of members, donors
and sponsors.
There are many oppor-
tunities for members to
get involved with their
local clubs and they don't
have to be involved with
farming, but just want to
be part of a rural commu-
nity.
This is seen especially
from the Bruce County
club president Shannon
Kelly. She is not . a farmer,.
but a student attending .
McMaster University for
earth. sciences. She has
also been a JFAO provin-
cial director for the last
four xears and was attract-
ed to the club by the
opportunity to help the
community and also travel.
the world.
"It has a lot of opportu-
nity for leadership and
youth in the trial commu-
nity have the chance for
interprovincial and inter-
national travel," said
Kelly.
Something Kelly and
JFAO clubs. around
Ontario have continually
tried to do is recruit new
members. Kelly believes
it's vital to get as many
youth involved in their
rural communities.' Even if
it's not directly related to
farming, at least they are
getting involved.
"A lot of people didn't
know that JFAO is still.
around and it's our job to.
always recruit and show
young people they can
make a big impact in =Olein
rural centres," said Kelly.
The Bruce County club,
which is based out of
Ripley, has been especial-
ly hard to recruit for, "since
it's in such a small area,
Kelly said.. She is confi-
dent
onf-dent though that the more
people recruited the more
they will get their friends
involved. For Kelly .and
the rest of the club ` they
believe word of mouth
will eventually get•the
members they are seeking.
The travel aspect is
something that was the
main attraction for Kelly
when she became a mem-
ber of JFAO. She had the
opportunity for travel and
to experience what rural
life ls like in other parts of
the world.
""Tome, travel was the
biggest attraction. I've
been 'to such places as El
Salvador and Wales," said
Kelly. "In Wales I was
able to see the difference
in farmingract�ices. I
P
stayed on a very state of
the art sheep • farm while I
was there and it gave me a
new perspectiveon .how
things are done in a for-
eign rural community."
These are things Kelly
feels are important for
understan4ng what it's
like to liveiii a rural com-
munity. She also thinks
that the successful, rural
practices in Wales could
be implemented in
Ontario:
JFAO of Bruce county
is always looking for new
members and if _ myone is
interested in getting
involved or becoming a
member they can contact
Shannon Kellyat bruce-.
jf@jfao.on.ca.
Submitted photo
Seen here are the Bruce County junior Farmers based out of Ripley. In the back row
from left to right are Shannon Kelly (president), Kyler Ribey and Mandy Vanhardeveld.
In the front row from left to right are Kody Ribey, Heather MacDonald, Lindsay
MacKay and Carmen Farrell.
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