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Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1993-11-17, Page 30Page 30 Tirnes-Advocate, November 17,1993 The.Usburne 14-H club -met atithe Thames 'Road Church Thursday, and quiokjyreet to making gingerbread men cookies. The group dubbed themselves the "Christmas Cookies" in recognition of the special 4-H unit fot;us- ing on Christmas traditions and crafts. Suicide rate no higher in farm. areas More than a decade ago, I penned a column which suggest- ed that the tough times in rural Canada had caused the suicide rate to increase "substantially." I think was the term I used. I was wrong. At the time 1 got letters from a dozen people who said I was full of that brown stuff that gets piled outside the bar. I.was told that the suicide rate was no higher than it ever was in rural Ontario anyway. My informa- tion came form people who quoted the increase in bankrupt- cies and the fact that many long- time farmers were losing their holdings. I immediately jumped to this conclusion that farmers would join the ranks of urbanites in taking their own lives. My stu- pidity was recently proven by a report from the Canadian Public Health Association. The associ- ation proves beyond any shad- ow of doubt that suicide rates among farmers is actually 41 percent lower than it is among the general Canadian public. Which indicates to me, any- way. that farmers are, as I have said many times, a true-blue, stable, conscientious group. In the summer issue of the Ca- nadian Journal of Public Health, the rate among fanners was 7.2 percent per 10.000 peo- ple per ycar compared with a rate of 12.3 percent among the general public. The writers of Tale article, William Pickett, Ju- :fdith Davldsonand Robert Bri- 3aon, found that suicide rates tNend to be lower where social re- lationships in a community are more stable and durable. Where there is a sense of be- longing to a community and where there is a feeling within that community that others care about you. the suicide rates go down. That is what I have been saying for many years About farmers and I should have had enough sense not to jump on the suicide bandwagon years ago. • Fanners are different. They care about each other and they take care of each other better than their city cousins. I know that. We lived in the country for 30 years. We knew our neighours and we, loved our neighbours. We moved to the ,;lilty four years ago and I could Wt even tell you the name of lac People who live on the west side of us. I know the people on the other side because we built a common fence between our properties. Hell, one of our neighbours left his wife and kids and we did not even know about it for four months. She was alone all that tirr+e,,llt#d. e soswed to care. There are sots sting =razaktaftiOle which farm- '. Meinabers found no evidence to suggest that the suicide tate went up when fart profits went down but they did find out five times ,Cs many men as women commit suicide. Almost half of the farm- ers hanged themselves and more {!than a third used a gun. The dean of faun writers in ,dada, Jim Romalin of the einner-Waterloo Record, ..r:uggested recently in a column }that the most positive reapoose to trouble on the farm in those bleak days when bankruptcies and foreclosures were happen- ing almost daily in Canada, carne from Christian organiza- tions who carefully looked at what rural congregation should be doing to help lies through tough times Jim, who recently won a na- tional award worth 53,500, sin- gled out Project Hope led by Rev. Ed den kiaan of the Chris- tian Reformed (Murch and chap lain at the Univer=sity of G and the Qyieen's Bush Milhglgr as worthy of praise. The Queen's Bush Ministry was sparked by the passion and ener- gy of Brian Ireland of Teeswa- ter, an articulate and progressive farmer who went through great tribulations himself. Romain, by the way, has won more than 80 awards as a jour- nalist and I have always been proud to co him as a €t4ad., 044•+ IAd • Sas GUELPH-- The rem Safe+ As- soeiationlis ilsttued a warning that gases predsesd 'from recently en- siled corn silage can cause death. A Petersburg, Dialatio area farmer had a close encounter with the gas this month. White levelling silage in his silo, he started having shonness.of breath. The iodine coloured gas had been noticed in the silo prior to adding more silage. Dead pigeons were also noticed._ The farmer was taken to the hospital for treatment. The number of reports this year from various pans of Ontario in- volving silo gas has been increas- ing. Silo gas or nitrogen dioxide is produced as a by-product of the fer- mentation process that takes place ABCA 'working to find ways to trim costs Lucan Thighmasters meet ericte 'pilittt 'material is put halo y silo. A variety of climatic stresses on the plant material during the :growing season can dramatically ;increase the possibility of toxic gas- es forming. To avoid silo gas, farm- ers are advised not to harvest crops immediately after a rainfall. Con- versely, crops damaged by hail or frost should be harvested as quickly as possible to avoid build-up of ex- cess nitrate hi the plant material. If weather or other tactors have in - biassed the possibility of nitrate build-up, plant material should be cut higher than normal, as excess nitrates are stored in the lower por- tionof the plant. Silo -gas may be visible within a few hours after silo filling and may be recognized by 'a bleach -tike otour and may be visible as a yel- lowish -brown or Ortmge haze. Dead flies or birds at the base of the silo may also be an indicator Of die gas. EXETER - Faced with deepening cuts in -government funding, local conservation authorities are seeking out new ways to help trim costs. The Ausable Hayfield Conserva- tion Authority is continuing, its study with the Upper and Lower Thames Conservation Authorities, and the St. Clair Region Conserva- tion Authority to find ways of mak- ing their money go further. "The different deparunents are getting together and seeing if we can save money," explained Kate Monk at the ABCA. Possible joint projects include the publication of one brochure on con- servation regulations, rather than each agency authoring its own. Another possibility is to share personnel on the computerized geo- graphic information system, or sharing a common safety officer. Monk said such cooperation will save training costs and time. "It's not a matter of merging the authorities or anything," said Monk. The ABCA studied a possible amalgamation with the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority_a couple of years ago, but it was de- termined at that time it was not ad- trerttageous. LUCAN - The Thighmasters 4-H club's second meeting was at the Lucan United Church on November 4. The roll `call was "What was your most strenuous action today?" Answers included volleyball and jogging around the track. Everyone also discussed their Resting Heart Rate (RHR) and what to do for Achievement Day. Then there was an aerobics video and a judging ac- tivity, and after that the meeting was adjourned. The Lucan Thighmasters had their third meeting November 8. The meeting was called to order and the roll call was "What did you have for breakfast this morning?" Lots of members had bacon, while others had cereal, toast and/or a fruit. Then everyone divided into four groups and went around different displays and games about health, self-image and nutrition. There was a discussion about eating disorders (anorexia and bulimia nervosa) and how they are dangerous and some- times fatal. The club then enjoyed another exercise video, had a snack and the meeting was adjourned. For their fourth meeting the club will be going to the Aquatic Centre in London for deep -diving activi- ties. Usborne 1 chooses name By Elizabeth Kerslake 'THAMES ROAD -On Thursday, November 11, :the I./shortie I 4-H held meeting two of its club. The meeting started with the 4-H pledge led by president Marcy Swance. The ,secretary's report, treasurer's report and press reports were read. The club decided its name will be the "Christmas Cookies". The 19 members present were then split into groups for crafts. They Made dreidels menorahs and gingerbread men. The group also discussed their family cultures. The meeting was adjourned at 5:30. For the next meeting members are reminded to examine their fami- ly cultures and try a recipe. The date of the next meeting is Novem- ber 18 at Thames Road Church. E.T.C., E.T.C., E.T.C., E.T.C., E.T.C. 'Your personal Christmas toy ✓ list Collector Edition Toys CiPrecision series 1-7 Pewter Models �■ Farm Country Sets ri Riding Toys Industrial Toys Alatikiug 1/16 Scale Toys 1/32 Scale Toys 1/43 Scale T 1/64 Scale T SnaRaoers Snow -Scooters Belt l uskles FARM EQUIPMENT - EXETER, ONTARIO Sales, Service & Rentals since 1932 (fes) FAX (519) 2.00122. SOM.062gat 235,2701