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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1988-09-07, Page 14Page 14 Times -Advocate, September 7, 1988 Bean crops close to normal prices expected to be stronger CLINTON - Beans, both soys. ; and, white, seem the hcst.hope for • farmers to see reasonable returns now that cereal --grains have been .harvested Brian Hall, crops special- ist with the Clinton office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food said Monday. Rains during August have helped pod development on both white and - soya bean crops Mr. Hall.said with white beans looking. like they will - be close to normal in yields. Soyas • arc also looking much better than - expccted since the rains seemed to come at the right time. "It's nice to know there is a bean crop"- he said - after earlier worries during the drought. •- • Ontario white bean farmers will likely be further helped. with stronger prices -because crops in the competing areas, of Michigan and the Minnesota -Dakota growing are- as in the U.S. arc- not as good as - those in Ontario. Expected yield is only estimated at seven bushels to the acre. - 'tbe big problem for bean farmers is the amount of weeds in the bean fields. These are especially harmful in white beans -where they can dis- colour the beans—It may Mean .many .farmers have to spray to kill the weeds before they can harvest, Mr. j-lall said. Tho bad news -tor farmers is the corn crop. "It isn't usual that we have a better bean crop -than corn crop,'; he said butthis year that seems to be the case: Many farmers arc now faced with the choice -be- tween harvesting the corn for grain or cutting it for silage. The grain crop isn't very good but, then nei- ther is- the silage -crop, hesaid. • rime Stoppers In the early morning hours of April 30, 1988 thieves stole S500 worth of property.fromtwo pick- up trucks in Huron Park. - Crime Stoppers and the-Crimi- nal heCrimi- nal Investigators at the Exeter Detachment of thc Ontario Pro- vincial -Police are requesting your help in solving this theft. - Thc owner of the two trucks left themunlocked, believing the contents of the trucks would be safe in hisown driveway. The next morning. he found that thieves had gone into his trucks and taken the following items: a six-foot Shakespeare fishing rod, a Zcbco 200 reel serial # PS640, an Old Pal tackle box --brown in colour with 351ures and an Alpine -graphic equalizer model T1-36 serial #321440239820. If you have any information about this or any other crime call Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800- 265-1777. Call during office hours, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Your call will not be traced nor recorded and your anonymity is -guaranteed. You will never have to identify yourself nor testify in court. If yourinformation leads to an arrest you could cam a cash reward of up to $1,000. Remember, crimc doesn't pay, but CRIME STOP- PERS does. .We have just returned from a trip to the Market and I am filled with appreciation :for the abundance of nature, the great variety of the uni- vcrse. • - No, I don't mean the -Kitchener . market in the sterile, brick -and - glass atmosphere concocted when a shopping mall replaced the old mar- ket buildings. I'm talking about the Waterloo County market and the n: w, upstart Stockyards market a: rosy the road from the 'county market, near St. Jacobs, Ontario. These two•places arc doing a roar- ing business these days. Everything from carrots -to cucumbers,. from potatoes to pumpkins, from peas to pumpernickel, from beans to beets, from crafts to crewel work, is avail- able and people are flocking to buy. If you don't mind crowds, now is the, time to pick up enough to fill the larder for months. it is just like a food fair, a mini - :circus, to spend a couple of hours wandering through these two plac- cs. Canadians are naive about food and fanners. We take food for grant- ed. 1Vc just know fanners will grow it and we'll be able tt buy it. We simply expect abundat cc. And we don't really care about .hc future of farming in.Canada as long as We can get our bellies full today, have enough bucks left for a beer or two and a new car eecry five years. We fail to realize that farmers are in trouble. There arc fewer farms and fewer fanners every year. i have he: ,xople say: 'Why give sub- -- side , lb farmers?" Why can't they live by tht: law of supply and =de- mand just -like everybody else?" Those are stupid words. •If we'lef farmers go, we'stranglc our nation. A country that cannot feet itself becomes dependent on other cou'htries. that supply food. We become servants of those coun- tries. To allow drought, poor prices, world grain wars and big business to dictate the, forth agriculture will take in Canada is a one-way trip to starvation. Throughout . the world, agriculture is becoming increasing- ly dominated by huge corporations ho are interested only in the bot- tom line. Productivity and profit arc the goals of big business, not quali- ty and a way of life worth preserv- ing. We 'do not get involved or even interested in agriculture in most parts of Canada because food almost • Best Interest • Guaranteed Investment Certificates • subject to change Gaiser.kneale Insurance Brokers Inc Exatar Grand Sand 235.2420 238-S4$4 Clinton Mansell 482.4747 262.2119 Sae ,,q.„ 14.• tp... O'- .111.1C. •/ fa:Is into our inouths. The wonder- - ful vtu°iety, the luscious -quality, the crisp freshness of the food availa- ble at those markets is; I suppose, one reason why we take food for granted. - - . L. couldn't help but think of those pathetic pictures on television and in newspapers representing the starving millions in other parts of • the world. The same thing could happen in Canada although the possibility seems remote - enough to be .a joke. But unless we take our agricultu- ral problems seriously. in this won- derful, abundant, beautiful, bounti- ful country of Canada, we could, in generations to come, be watching our farmland be blown away in - desert conditions' or buried under pavement, subdivisions, strip malls, highways and power corri- dors. Our food system is in deep trou- ble. Senior governments are help- ing farmers with grants and subsid- ies and stabilization plans. I have questioned in these columns just how long ordinary taxpayers will continue to allow governments to help agriculture. I hope it will go on -as long as is necessary to help a troubled but es- sential sector of the economy. Without farmers, those markets would be bleak and desolate places instead of pulsating with life and abundance. Some vacancies at Fanshawe LONDON - Twenty programs at Fanshawc College in London still have vacancies for programs begin- ning in September and arca stu- dcnts arc being advised that it's not too late to consider going to col- lege this fall. Although most programs have 'closed', qualified,appticants can se- lect from eight career oriented pro- grams in the Business and Applied Arts arca. The General Arts and Science program which has two options, also has vacancies. Ten Technology programs which pro- vide excellent career opportunities still have scats available. • It is important for interested ap- plicants to call or visit the office of the Registrar at Fanshawc Col- lege as soon as possible. it is lo- cated in room A1027 of the main campus at 1460 Oxford Street East in London; telephone (519) 452- 4277. Since its inception in 1967, Fan- shawe College has graduated over 30,000 students, most of whom have entered the work force. Recent statistics show that of those who graduated in 1937, over 90 percent found jobs in fields directly related to their programs. Don't forget the International 'Plowing Match in Perth County September 20-24 • He predicts corn yields will vary widely. from some farmers who will get . only 25 percent .of normal yields to others who will get up to 75 percent of normal normal. Very few will get closeto a normal crop. . The other worry is that there may be high nitrate levels in the stocks of -the corn because of slow growth. This can cause poisoning of the cattle that eat the silage and can cause a double danger because sit - age gas is more likely to result with possible deadly results for farmers. If there has been rcasona'r ble stalk growth nitrates shouldn't be a problem, Mr. Hall said. Thiags are looking up for farmers who were worrying about hay for their livestock this winter. The - rains have improved second crop hay yields and "there's not as much panic as earlier." The demand fel hay has really cased up, Mr. Hall'said, and there should be plenty of hay for the winter. - With the cereal harvest completed, the wheat yields were good despite thc weather while barley and oats yielded anywhere from 60 to 75 per- • cent of a nonnal crop, Mr. Hall said. r —� TOP BEEF SHOWMAN Joe Gower of Osborne township is shown with his calf which won the senior_ and over- all showmanship championships at -the recent Dungannon Fall Fair: The pair will continue competition at the Exeter and' Seaforth fairs and hopefully the Royal Winter fair in Toronto. Hill AND Hill FARMS LIMITED VARNA ONT. Varna Grain CUSTOM COMBINING AND TRUCKING AVAILABLE Call Pete or Bev At WE ARE READY TO RECEIVE YOUR 1988 CORN AND SOYBEANS Hill and Hill Farms Ltd. Varna Plant the top -yielding FIRST LINE HARUS WINTER WHEAT • yields as well or better than all other varieties • 2 or 3 days earlier than Augusta • Also certified Augusta Hill and Hill Farms Ltd. Bev 233-3218 Varna Pete 233-7908 CUSTOM APPLIED BY HENSALL CO-OP The Air -Flow's proven ability to lay down a precision,. blanket=like pattern of fertilizer and seed has been recognized by growers in this area. . Past years' results have proven that using the Air -Flow is a very successful, fast -and -accurate way to plant your seed wheat. CALL NOW AND ORDER YOUR CUSTOM APPLICATION OF FERTILIZER AND FALL SEED WHEAT! • Certified Harus • Certified Augusta THE PROVEN WHEATS OF CHOICE Hensall District Co-operative Inc. Zurich Brucefield 236-4393 233-9823