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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1985-06-12, Page 33Page 16A f imes-Advocate, June 12, 1985 :�_ t , t^.s 'i► r r' 8i MOWER CONDITIONER — John Becker is using this Viscon mower -conditioner to cut hay at the "Hay Day- V.L. Becker and Sons held Thursday. It was a chance for area farmers to see the equipment in action. It•s a peaceful scene: A herd of cat- tle grazing contentedly in grass up to their bellies, a farm home silhouetted against the sky with a barn and a silo in the background. It is a typical pastoral scene and reminds everyone of a less hectic era. Many city people envy the serenity that seems apparent. But you are looking at one of the most dangerous work places in this country. Farminghas become second only to ruining as an occupal ion hazardous to the worker. Farm injuries rose by 14 per cent in 1984. In 1983. more than 2.800 farm injuries were reported which cost the Workers Compensa- tion Board more that $10 million in benefits. Farm fatalities were up 20 per cent. Thatis too much of an increase. The peaceful scene is being broken too often by serious injury and even death. Farm fatalities should decrease not increase. The farm safety association has been working long and hard to make farmers aware of the dangers on the job. An education and awareness pro - gam has been presented every year for 20 years yet the injuries and the deaths increase, primarily because the safety association is hampered by lack of staff and funds. The association has struggled to lake the lead in agitating for safer equipment and more education. Of- ficials have pointed to the terrible recession in agriculture as one of the reasons for the increase in accidents. Jim Gibb of the association has been quoted as saying that everybody Ont. Pork Congress starts next week Ontario pork producers and agribusiness pe-sonnel will want to take advantage of the excellent ►OE. I O, ()1 btu A STORE FULL OF BEAUTIFUL FURNITURE On the Main Street of Dublin 345.2250 Free Delivery • Education Program at this year's Pork Congress slated for ,tune 18, 19 and 20 in Stratford. Sow productivity Will be the theme topic in the "Educational Center". Success in this key area of production is rapidly becoming the key to sur- vival. Producers will have an oppor- tunity to hear from and to discuss alternatives with feature speakers and successful producers. The "Center" will be interactive. The key resource people will be on hand from 10:30 to 3:30 each day in individual booths. This will provide ample opportunity for one -to one dialogue. is thinking about their financial situa- - tion. It is preying on their minds and they cannot concentrate on what they're doing. "You've got farmers working longer hours and they're working big- ger farms with Nigger machinery, so the potential for accidents is greater," said Gibb. itis also true that more than 40 per cent of the injuries on the farm in- volve people under age 25. a dreadful statistic. Too many young people, too many children. are suffering injury. This, too, can be attributed to the recession. Far too many farm wives are being forced into working the machinery while children are left either unattended or carried onto the big machines. There are, you see, no day care cen- • tres in the country. Or dafhned few of them. An you can't ask a neighbor to baby sit when the neighbor could he a mile away. "The farm workplace has always been used as a child-care centre and parents don't seem to get the message that it's dangerous." says Larry Swine, public relations co-ordinator for the farm safety association. True. But what can a farm husband -and -wife team do'? As men- tioned, baby sitters are scarce and day care is unavailable. In addition. baby sitters cost money and cash is in short supply on the farm these days. I don't know the answers. I do know there are too many accidents on the farm. too many accidents involving children If farmers, themselves. do not do something about it. somebody else will step in with all manner of regulations and that somebody wi11 be a concerned government trying to prevent more tragedies on the farm. Concern The problems of erosion and sedimentation have been of concern to man since civilization began. In- deed, erosion is a completely natural process. however, soil erosion is drastically altered by man's ac- tivities. The increasing rate of soil erosion by the misuse of our lands is phenomenal. Dr. Charles Baldwin. P -Ag., a member of the Ontario Institute of Agrologists and Head of the Soils Sec- tion at the Ridgetown college of Agricultural Technology.believes that the concern for soil erosion is alt too justified if we care to take a look at what's happening throughout our countryside. The stark reality of the presence of thousands of rills and gullies is a disheartening sight and in many areas oT crisis proportions. it is common practice now for many farmers to spend several hours, yes even several clays. fulling in gullies on their 'lands prior to normal seedbed -operations. As with water erosion. wind erosion problems are aggravated by poor management . practices such as overgrazing, overcropping and im proper tillage. The removal of soil from fences, ditches, roads and from around buildings is a costly process. Crops can be ruined totally. or delayed reseeding is often necessary. There are literally miles of open space where both wind and water can scour the soil from our lands. Water erosion along ditchbanks, stream courses and on farmlands is causing increasing environmental concern. What is the wisdom behind working our lands right to the very edge of the travelled portion of the roadsides'' What stand, if any, are our township and county officials laking in this regard" With the advent of commercial forms of nitrogen fertilizer after the second world war, livestock -based farm operations started their decline. No longer did we have to rely on rota- tions, legumes and farmyard manures as a nitrogen source. Cash - crop faring appeared and fences and roadsides started to disappear- They are still disappearing -- so is our soil. It is a sad testimony to our soil .stewardship to realize that many of our farms are tribally void of songbirds. upland game and game animals. It is not really stretching the truth to say that there are many areas in our cities, towns and villages that provide a better wildlife habitat than many of our farmlands. There is no substitute for food -- nor for land. Did we not long ago learn the folly of destroying the goose that laid the golden egg`' What legacy will we as responsible citizens pass on'' Will we look back with pride on our land tenure and soil stewardship'' The partnership of the countryside and farmers is the very foundation of our social structure. It. was the fur trade that lured our early white set tiers to Ontario some 100 years ago. But it has been the soil that has main- tained the settlement. Dr. Baldwin, P.Ag . he lieves that for countryside the need to conserve our soil as a food - producing resource should be the paramount concern of all our people. rural and urban alike. The concern for our countryside now and for genera tions to come cannot be overemphasized. Good soil means ood food. HAY BALES John Becker of V.L. Becker and Sons is seen here with a hay bale he made at the "Hay Day' this week for area farmers. in Dashwood Beckers held We're Fully Equipped for any Job ti Dragline • Farm ponds • Gravel Bailing • Trucking • Gravel. Sand & Stone • Bulldozing • Excavating • Top Soil • Septic Systems "No job is too big or too small" Res. 462-9212 Trucking - Excavating Clinton Shop 482.9926 CO.OP Twine you can count on! Co-op carries a complete range of agricultural twine to meet your bal- ing requirements. The chart below lists the most popular types of Co-op twine: all are guaranteed by your Co-op to perform satisfactorily in the field. NATURAL FIBRE BALER TWINE 'THE 2549 LINE" •�,' n•y;".� -ori 1S! 7. r1 •: of -41 542-509 BALE THROWER TWINE 9 000 Approx. 230 lbs Medium to heavy bates and BALE THROWERS 166 542 510 GENERAL PURPOSE TWINE Gross Average 205 lbs item 16`' LengthBale Weight Tensile Recommended Code Description (Feet) Per Bale Strength For 542-509 BALE THROWER TWINE 9 000 19 lbs 230 lbs Medium to heavy bates and BALE THROWERS 166 542 510 GENERAL PURPOSE TWINE 10 009 19 IDS 205 lbs Averaae wp,alt Bates Not fo' use .n throwers GENERAL PURPOSE BALING 16`' 542 516 ROUND BALER TWINE 16 000 15 17 lbs 135 lbs Use .r a' LARGE ROUND BALERS 15" EXEjIER DISTRICT CO.OP Store Hours 4 blocks west Mon..Frl. 5:00-3:00 235-2081 Sat. 5:00-4:00 of the Fire Hall