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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1981-07-01, Page 17• Huron farmand home news Taking the easy way 'out, is not always Taking the easy way - not always the best! Are you still breeding dairy heifers to a bull in the back pasture? If so, these heifer's are reducing your chances to upgrade the quality of your replacements. Everyone knows, dairy cows on the average leave the milking herd for various reasons, at about five years of age and only produce one heifer calf in a life time. I suppose to many dairymen this would be enough infor- mation to ensure heifers be bred at 15-18 months and to a' unit bull! But... Yes I know, your heifer facilities are not very handy for a routine herd health program and during the summerallreplacements are down the road at the pasture farm. It's just a lot easier, much less headache, to turn the bull out. All I'm saying, is be aware, if you are not using A:I. in heifers, you are miss- ing out on an excellent way to increase the genetic potential for milk yield and longevity in the cows you will,be milking in the years to come. Listed below are six im- portant points (Hoard's Dairymen, June 10) to successful A.I. in herds: 1. Identification of heifers, 2. Proper nutrition. 3. Regualr herd health program. 4. Heat detection methods. 5. Handling facilities. 6. Sire selection and insemination. The benefits of heifer A.I. far. outweigh the effort need- ed to make it work. Dennis Martin, Associate Agricultural Representative How are your crops doing? During the past two weeks I have had three experiences that have led me to wonder 'about your crops. The in- cidents are in no way con- nected. The first of these concerns the Soil and Crop Improvement colored bean study. There are about 20 colored bean fields in Huron and Perth Counties that Chris Allcott, my summer assistant. and I are watching. We check for insects, dis- ease, emergence, weeds, etc. Last week we walked a number of these fields. The second incident concerns a visit with a farmer who is suffering from the low hog prices. The third incident was a plane ride on Sunday evening. Don Jack from Milverton took me for a crop inspection from the air. All three of these incidents makes me wonder how often your neighbour walks his fields. (I know you would certainly check you crops). For every 100 acres of corn he plants he has about $25,- 000 invested. In some cases your neighbours have made that investment and then walked away from it. Walking the bean fields, Chris and I found two spots of perennial smart weed and one spot of perennial ground cherry. All of which should be eradicated now. While we were walking those fields we looked over some back fences. One thing I can say is — if that's "a little bit of twitch" in those back fields then the Pope is a little bit Catholic and the Queen is a little bit English. I saw some of your neighbour's crops and now I wonder about yours. I wonder if you checked your population in corn and beans. While checking the bean fields we notice a range in plant counts from 1.7 to 3.3 plants per foot. I have wondered about fertilizer this past two weeks as well. I have heard a lot of the cost price squeeze this spr- ing. I have heard a lot about the very sensitive interest rate issue. But then I wonder if things are so bad, why are less than 20% of Ontario farmers soil testing. That means Inat four of your neighbours do not soil test. How can they afford not to? How can they at one time talk about the high cost of cropping and high interest rates and at the next time not use this service. either losing yield because I can safely say that four they are not putting on of your neighbours are enough. or they are wasting :M money by putting on too by 2 or $3,000 00 a year or much. Even if they only increased their crop output reduced their fertilizer costs by an equivalent amount it •ti r 4 >:r A SOLID JOB — Agricrew for Perth and Huron counties recently held a one day training session at a Mitchell area farm. Receiving some practical experience in the art of stone picking were (left -right) Paul Cooke, RR 1 Kirkton; David Eckert, RR 2 Mitchell; Gary Fluttert, RR 7 St. Marys; Janice Vivian, RR 2 Staffa; Cheryl Stewart, RR 1 Kirkton and Debbie Angus, Kirkton. (Photo courtesy Mitchell Advocate) A PYRAMID POWER — South Huron Junior Farmers took time out from their Farm Olympics, Sunday, to build a human pyramid for the T -A's camera. Those on the lower tier were disappointed to find the pyramid was only three layers deep. Ten years ago, the con- sumers associations and the farm marketing boards were bickering like children in an ice cream jug. Consumers were accusing farmers of all kinds of skullduggery, especially in the areas where marketing boards had the power to set and allocate quotas. Farmers were telling con- sumers to get out of the back forty and mind their own business. Then, with some hesitation and trepidation, the two factions got together. It didn't happen overnight and suspicions were con- firmed in some respects. Eventually, though, in the Canadian tradition, the two factions got to know each other and reached an un- derstanding. As soon as consumers found farmers were not out to rip off the public, they began to listen and unders- tand. When farmers found that consumers were only trying to learn more about the intricacies of the food chain as well as trying to un- derstand farmers' problems, they became less defensive and more articulate. - The mutual respect that was engendered was good for all concerned. Con- sumers understood farmers and farmers understood con- sumers. Consumers suggested they should participate in some of the decisions made by farmers. Relucantly, farmers agreed and con- sumer advocates bacame members of the National Farm Products Marketing Council as well as some of the provincial boards. Although consumers associations did not quit keeping a critical eye on marketing boards, the at- mosphere between the two former adversaries became one of mutual respect. Even last month when the report from a committee of the Economic Council of Canada said marketing 'boards — supply management marketing boards — were gouging the public, an active member of the consumers association defended the boards. June Menzies, now chair- man of the National Farm Products Marketing Council, was emphatic in her un- derstanding of agriculture. The prices of farm products controlled by quotas and marketing boards have not increased as much as the prices of beef and pork two uncontrolled sectors of agriculture. "When you take it over a �111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I111111111111111111111111111111111 { I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I� E Dietrich Metal Products Manufacturer of Metal Trim _ Sales of Steel Siding Farm Building Construction s Concrete Forming =_ Complete Building Sales forE Self -Erected Structures 1 1 1/4 Miles West of Mt.1 Carmel and Mile South R.R.# 8 Parkhill Phone 294-69401 mm�uuunnu imffi mnnmennnannnullllnlllllnlunnunnmnuuuounnnmnnnnuntonnmullmnullllunnnnnunnnnunuumi • Letters are apprec aced by Bob Trotter Etdate Rd Eirn.ra Ont N38 2C 7 10 -year period, the prices in the supply -controlled com- modities have not run out of control," she said in a televi- sion interview over CIT. Only milk, eggs, chicken, turkey and tobacco are supply -controlled. Mrs. Menzies said that in 1980, chicken prices in- creased by 7.6 percent com- pared to 8.6 for beef. In the same year, turkey prices ac- tually dropped by 31/2 per- cent while pork went down by less than one percent. I could, of course, get into the fact that retail prices in- creased dramatically for all farm products last year yet the return to the farmer ac- tually dropped in many com- modities but there isn't room this week. While the price of beef es- pecially was soaring in the supermarkets. farmers were getting less. If there is a ripoff in the food chain, it certainly is not farmers who are doing the ripping. The potential for ripping off the consumer is not in the hands of farmers. In Canada. not more than half a dozen companies con- trol more than 60 percent of the food chain. They control it from the time it leaves the farm gate until it reaches you. They control the truckers. the packers, the packagers. the wholesalers and the retailers. They con- trol flour mills, grain elevators. shipping lines, perhaps even the banks. Farmers had to pet deeply involved in marketing just to survive. Even then, the horror stories in agricultural circles are evident in the bankruptcies proliferating across the country. If anything is done now to dismantle marketing boards. which farmers have fought so hard and long to es- tablish. there will be a serious revolt right across Canada that will make Louis Riel look like a piker. TERRA -GATOR Custom Application • Saves Time and Money' Ask About Our Special Summer Prices Fast, Economical Custom Flotation Manure Application. Serving Huron, Perth, Middlesex and Oxford for the past 3 years. For Information Cali 519-22S-2340 L0 -DELL AGRI-SERVICES R,R, 2 Granton NOM 1 VO makes a difference. Maybe not a big difference any one year, but certainly over 10 years. That would amount to $20,- 000 to $30,000. less debt load and at today's interest rate that's substanial. There is an old adage that states "what you make is not as impor- tant as what you spend". Some of the farmers that are now having close en- counters with their bank managers or feed companies may be too late to. soil test and walk their fields. However, it is not too late for many others. Check and secure your investment now. Soil test no good? Before you say soil testing is no good, I wnat you to realize a couple of things. First of all, the soil test is a guideline, not the last word. As well, most of the criticism that I have en- countered with Ontario's soil test is the result of poor 'sampling technique or poor interpretation of the results. §Nowthereare.a number of oil testing services available. In fact there are many soil test services available based on research done in the United States. For the most part they are overpriced (by Ontario's standards). They can run up to $6.50/acre. Their recommendations are based on American conditions. Our soil test is based on On - Juniors h ost games The South Huron Junior Farmers were hosts for the first annual Farm Olymics Sunday at Usborne Central School. The date was set for June 28 1981 for the first annual Farm Olympics. The South Huron Junior Farmers hosted these games held at Usborne Central School, for the rest of the county. The day got off to a quick start with nail driving and the tug of farmers, then the bale throwing and the wheelbarrow relay really got things rolling. Things cooled down a bit with the bobbing for apples and the substituted ex- cretory material toss events. The day wound up with the team cluster tie-up and the human stooks. The winning team was presented with little trophies and all in all the day was a success. We, the South Huron Junior Farmers hope to see you out at the Farm Olympics next year. Cecil R Squire Sales & Service Repair Shop Equipment 47 John St. E. Exeter 235-0465 the best tario's growing conditions and Ontario's research. If you are not able to soil test yourself then call us and we will located for you someone who will soil test your farm - (approxitnately 35t/acre). If you are not willing to pay for this ser- vice, then hire your own kids todo it. Even if you pay them 35t an acre it isavery worthwhile investment. Before they go soil testing, set down some guidelines. No sample should represent more than 20 acres. Also, make them take at least one sample/acre. The more samples the better. And they can soil sample anytime. In fact, sampling while the crop is growing is ideal. This lessens the chance of sampling a fer- tilizer band. Again I want to re- emphasize if your neighbours don't take advan- tage of a tool as simple as the soil test and he doesn't check the fields during the summer time. should you seriously listen to him talk about high input costs and low yields. If he doesn't know what's going on out there — who does'' Pat Lynch, Soils & Crops Specialist. John Heard. Assistant Agricultural Represen- tative. . HELP I -HE KIDNEY FOUNDATION IN THE FIGHT FOR LIFE. \1:1R(Il IS KIUNE1' MMON'1'H. • , Kidio c �d h UIi l ttinll „f Canada July 1, 1981 Page SA MAKES GOOD SILAGE BETTER- (c3th\ SILA-BAC. B P A N a SILAGE INOCULANT ,George Sereda Exeter 235-0273 William Coleman Kippen 262-5031 NOW AVAILABLE r. Custom Spraying of C RN "Drop nozzles for directed post -emergent spraying of corn with KILMOR to solve your Bindweed problems." "Supplemental nitrogen can be applied" LET HENSALL CO-OP TAKE CARE OF ALL YOUR SPRAYING NEEDS CALL US TODAY HENSALL DISTRICT CO-OP fBrucefield Zurich Hensoll 482-9823 236-4393 262-3002 ALL N.H. 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