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Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1993-02-24, Page 23along the mads oblivious to what is happening to our rural neighbours. Half a century ago, almost every- one had a small connection to fanning. Perhaps 30 percent of the work force was actively engaged in agriculture. At that time we not only sympathized with farmers, we empathized with them. Not so today Lessthan four per- cent of the population is stilton the Land although close to 30 percent of the work force still depends on the food chain for jobs. This, then, should engender some awareness for agriculture. It doesn't seem to help. People are abysmally ignorant of the plight of farmers. Most of them would not know a corn crop from - tobacco or a Holstein from a Here- ford. They are too wrapped up in their own problems to even care about farmers. Agriculture to them is just another sector of the eco- nomic chain that is in dire• straights. But I believe farmers are differ- ent When they lose their "job", :they lose an entire way of life. It is .not.the same as a factory closing or layoff. It is the finish of a lifetime 1of struggle and strain. Farmers are (different and they deserve to be treated in a different manner. I have never been an advocate of -civil disobedience although some :great and famous people come .to aamind such as Martin Luther King, kienry David Thoreau and Mahat- ama Gandhi. These farmers in Hu - :ion and Bruce counties have be- icome so frustrated that any action :seemed appropriate. Now,. what if they do the same .thinginiourist season when Blue- .waterHighway 21 is one of :the -busiest 'in .the province? That .would get lots of,attention wouldn't it. ,Here's a great performance packs a for corn growers in the 2800 X2900 heat unit areas. These DeKalb corn hybrid numbers are well worth remembering - 0K421 and 0K401. DK421 has 3 years of consistent performance.under it's belt and DK401 is a new contender for 1993. They're both great team players. Soret over to your DeKalb dealer and order this "power pack" of outstanding hybrids today and'put DK421 and DK401 on your team. SocillyourVICalb dealer today or call 1-800-567-8068 &miliin't forget DRKaIb Days March.22 to 26, 1993. Defib High Performance hybrids'"' 1 rademark or lrei:atb Geoada ane. AND STICK( 4.11.1111 r e OM OICti a AR/0 NURp Feb Please give. 1 i Don Leith meted Into CEMEICHEITI =Cansenration Hall of fame -CLINTON - Don Lot)b of near Clinton. in Goderich Township was recently inducted into the Canadian Conservation Hall of Fame for .1992. Known locally at "the father of conservation fanning", this is she latest in a number of awards for his efforts and accomplishments is soiliand water conservation farming. Lobb is making and has made numerous contributions.at the local, provincial, Canadian and international level. He was the founding :chairman of the Huron Soiled Water Conservation District - the first grass-roots soil conservation- movement formed in Ontario. Provin- cially, he is a member of the Ontario Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society and on the Canadian front he is a founding member of the Soil Conservation Canada. On Lobb's own farm, his actions were borne of necessary; he no- ticed yield reductions in his crops because of a lack of organic matter on enpded.sitcs. Consequently, he recognized the importance of keep- ing the soil and its organic matter intact. Lobb organized his own conservation fanning plan in 1965. It first focused on grassed waterways and reforestation of marginal crop .land. "It has been amended many times as fame boundaries and mar- kets changed. Technology has changed, and a heightened appreciation for soil degradation has promoted the use of increasingly more effec- tive conservation measures. Over the years, my primary objective did =not change to manage.each acre of land under my control to achieve -its best possible long term use," said. Lobb. According to Lobb, more than just conservation tillage is required -:to effectively manage a farm. What is needed is a conservation crop ;production system which includes several factors: rotation, tillage, residue, cover crops, disease, pests, weeds, fertility, varieties and drainage. The present combination of conservation practices on Lobb's farm includes: 1. no -till crop production; 2. the arrangement of fields across the slope wherever possible; 3. grassed waterways; 4. a modified terrace 'system with drop inlets connected to subsur- face drains. 5. -windbreaks on the berms of terraces or elsewhere along the mar- gins of fields to intercept the prevailing westerly winds; and 6. reforestation of marginal land. "We're very lucky to have someone area with such a large amount of conservation farming knowledge(", said Robert Traut of the Ausa- ble-Bayfield Conservation Authority. Lobb has given both the ABCA and Maitland Valley Conservation Authority staff a good deal of technical advice which they have been able to pass on to other farm- ers who are just starting out with conservation . tillage of structural erosion control techniques. "Lobb has also undertaken .an extensive number of cropping trials. Like anything else that's new, people want an idea of the yields they can expect and the economic impacts of adopting the new system. Don's trail results are an invaluable source of data for those thinking about making the switch,".said Trout. Conducting membership drive CLINTON - President .Bill Wal- jacat has^.tii notinced that the Huron ',County Federation of Agriculture will be conducting a mass member- ship blitz from March 1 to March •14. , • Members. of the local federation will be visiting with other farmers across Huron County to discuss the issues facing agriculture • today, to hear concerns of area farm families and to .update. them on the actions being taken by both the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) and the local federation. Wallace stressed that "agriculture faces many challenges and changes over the next few years and it is im- portant that all farmers have the op- portunity to participate in shaping the future of the agri-food industry in Ontario- through the strongest general . farm voice in Ontario to- day.". For . more information, contact Jeanne Kirkby, Membership Com- .mittcc, Box 31, Walton, or call 887-6038, or contactthe local eratiblln office at 482-9642 Monday or Friday. fed - any Times -Advocate, February 24, 1993 One Foot intheT - "Angry farmers" 4hhe news item said, "blocked "pm 'highways this morning to force attention on the plight of Ontario fanners." The story said the fanners' began gathering -at 6:30 a.m. at the inter- section of Highways 21 and 86 near Amberley and they used their tractors to block the mad. More protesters joined them and by 9 a.m. about 120 fanners in 70 trac- tors and Iwo dozen pickups had closed sections of both highways. Most of them were members of a grassroots fart activist group. They call themselves A Line in the Dirt and most of them arc from Huron and Bruce Counties, the heartland of Ontario's beef cattle country. When police arrived, the farmers opened one lane of traffic and passed out leaflets outlining the plight of agriculture and protesting government inactivity. When normally placid people take the law into their own hands, you got to believe something is terribly wrong out. there. Farmers are thenaw3r,af the earth, law-abiding men.and women who are pillars of the rural community. It takes a great deal of provocation to get them to participate in any kind of.demonstration, let alone an :rae&rof civil disobedience such as blocking highways. The action should let others know just bow tough things are in the boondocks .and the backyards of this nation. This recession which has.thrown Fiimost of the world into a tizzy coo - vied with the terrible weather last mummer brought great hardship to farmers. If you.are like most peo- ip1e,• you drive along.highways and ibiways °and vaguely notice the : aids ttbat slide past your periph- : ryiaision. A few of you, perhaps, iiestrittlizaw corn stalks blowing in -thenwiad. But that is as ,far as it went. ikievamany of you 'figured that cam, standing in fields too soggy for harvesting, represented heart- break for farmers?There were.lit- erally thousands of .acres of corn left standing in .wet fields spelled disaster for .many people in rural Ontario. Yet most hof .eis.mltrive blithely ugr4fave us Prepare Your 1992 Tax Retum Accurately and Efficiently Starting at 9a 00 Receive your refund from Revenue Canada in as little as 2 weeks by filing.eiectronicelly with us. Can:263-3039 for an appointment or visit our office in Hensall beside the P.U.C. office - 15 years experience W.H. MACGREGOR Farm Accounting Service 114 King St., Hensall Ont. NOM 1X0 NC'-T11..L...MINIMUM TL__... ;ONVENTIONA_ Ti__ N PROBLEM NO -TILL GRAIN .DL 10 -20 ft. • a EXIMTRALBEk .1.OJ LE Ejr r R Huron Pork, -p$0113ils1011AL. AND 'M0►t 'Yu .Basic Bookkeeping Understanding Your Farm incorne Tax Recording Your Family History Environmental Farm Forum AGRONOMY Weed identlfication,and Control Eettbittabialttlant Heart Smart Cooking Safe Food HandlingPractices Cooking with Herbs Nutritional Care Manual Update COMPUTERS Intermediate Lotus 1-2-3 Keyboarding WiRDENiNO Advanced Home Landscaping Basic Home Gardening Pruning Ornamentals Mmrstry 0 AQncu ure and Food INFaRPAAT1ON DAYS & ISREOISIANTEREST COURSES .:age Time Mar. 8,15.22, 29/93 (4 Mon .) Mar. 24/93 (1 Wed.) Mar. 17,24,April 14,21/93 or Mar. 27, Apr. 3/93 Mar. 11/93 Mar.17/93 (1 Wed.) Mar. 4,11/93(2 Thur.) Mar. 16,23/93 (1 Thur.) Mar. 25/93 (1 Thur.) Apr. 7/93 (1 Wed.) Mar.8,15/93 (2 Mon.) Mar.20,27,Apr.3/93 (3 Sat.) 7-10 p.m. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. 7-10 p.m. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. 10 a.m. -'3:30 p.m 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. 7:30-10 p.m. 7:30-10 p.m. 7:30 -10 p.m. 9 a.rn.-4p.m. 9 a.m.-4p.m. 9 a.m.-12noon Fee $53.50 .$21.40 $53.50 $25.00* $32.10 $21.40 $37,45 $16.05 $53.50 $69.55 $53.50 Mar.23,30, Apr.3/93 (2 Tues.+1 Sat.) 7-10 p.m. + 1-5 p.m. S42.80 Apr. 6,13/93 (2 Tue.) 7-10 p.m. Apr.10/93 (1 Sat.) 12-4 p.m. (All course prices include GST) To register or for more information phone (519) 228-6691, Ext. 285 $21.40 *16.05 * Includesiunch MARCH 3: 9:30 AM TO 10:00 PM MARCH 4,5 8, 6: 9:30 AM TO 5:00 PM "UNION Of BREEDS" BEEF CATTLE AUCTION MARCH 6, 1:00 PM WESTERN FAIR GROUNDS LONDON, DON, ONTARIO grausilltilii.111essememitheepociel3 year aerranty on: 1/1141d labor. 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