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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1970-03-05, Page 24O! l!PERICR SION•AL,STAR, THURSDAY, MARCI°I 5,1970 available for managing .farms t;.dap#able to recreation By F. A. Stinson _______ Principal Kemptville Colter. of Agricultural Technology • Kemptville, Ontario The role, of the Kemptville College of Agricultural, ,. Technology, as stated at its outset some fifty years ago, included "teaching", (,4.-demoristrati,.ng" and "informing" students, farmers m and their., families° about the application of scientific -methods on ;fa ms and . in homes. By inference major emphasis was on improving food and fiber • production and processing. (By implication a better "way of life" could be anticipated by those who learned through these processes. In this article the College's role is re-examined in the light of circumstances and opportunities that were not foreseer} half a century ago. There is little room for argument about the relevance of the original objetives to needs of those times. Food shortages vVere normal occurrences, and clothing was expensive, because technology was scarce and even less applies: Indeed, the College was one of many institutions, public and private, that assisted and encouraged farmers to produce today's abundant food supply. As., a result of this Canadian shopper's enjoy „the benefits of lower-priced food. "FTom this.: s opo nt . ne:.aan. , concede the College's success in achieving its 'primary objective. What remains to be examined isthe impact of the College's role on the standard of living of hat'section otsdciety i- ot it was founded . to "teach". The question is whether these people share fully with 'others in the benefits of the abundance, they have been encouraged to help create. And, what is more important, can the College adjust its role to help 4armers improve their position by providing another useful service? By tradition, Canadian farms are viewed primarily as sources f oo• he increasing use of - new technology, which is taught • by the College, has resulted in a steady decrease in the number of farmers needed to supply available markets. Accordingly, farms were counted on. as a convenient, reliable source of surplus people for industrial • • development. , Now, changes in •industry have reduced the demand for these people. As a consequence, this has .created a surplus of people skilled in food production. Also, there are surpluses of foodstuff items. In view of this, it is not -surprising that ant increasing number of farm families are victims of a lag in the rate at which they receive the social benefits. that accrue to Canadian society as' a whole. Thus it _appears that the way of life of these -farmers is not improving as one might have predicted when the original objectives, of the College were stated. Indeed, there . are those who insist that it is no longer justifiable to value farming as a way of life. On farms where land is least suited for food production many of the- people have turned to part-time farming. They spend part of their time on a farm, part on a job in town and the rest commuting. Instead of having the best ,.:.of two worlds these farmers are more likely to end up with the worst of both. Too often they, have neither enough land to farm competitively nor enough skill and mobility for the higher paid jobs in industry. Urban people, freed o from concern about abundance of food, are increasing demands for recreation. ' The -indications are that the most rapidly increasing demand is for outdoor -recreation-.'-'The very. climatic features, „ long -°-regarded as undesirable for growing certain crops in eastern Ontario, are assets for expanding outdoor recreation services. Fortunately many -of. thelarms least. suitable for food production have land and . spade most adaptable for outdoor 'sports. At' the present time most of these resources are liabilities. as they are virtually unused. The development and use of this land may well be the key to stable 'farm inches. Manufacturers of- sporting . equipment, recognizing business opportunities, are contributing to the popularity of outdoor recreation as a year-round ac iv! y. is d u an y rs'J1 ey 'to increase as more urban people discover and try to capture a- piece of the way of life to which farms are so. adaptable. Eastern Ontario's proximity to large. urban • centres ensures the The Kemptville campus offers many of the facilities -needed to provide the kind of training required fQr sueeessfuily managing farm recreation services. There are, among the 800•acres'or.so occupied by the College,. a wide variety of areas typical'of ,those' on many Ontario farms. Indeed,. the., greater part of the property „is less suitable for the development of education programrelated to food production, for which it has always beem used, than for recreational and other resource m nagement programs , that cp.uld be developed., And the list of pilot projects . that could, be. developed for this study of such management is a long one. It is not farfetched to suggest that farm managers for whom the College expects to offer"" training, will include in ':their farm . businesses such enterprises as farm vacations, maple syrup festivals, snowmobile service centres, riding stables, game farms, fish ponds and golf courses.' Neither is it inconceivable that graduates in home economics 'may join them ,in such activities. Management skills are needed to • develop and operate services°". for the discriminating tourist and recreational trade. These are capable of being taught and learned. To what extent should the College .recognize the needs and opportunities for training in the management of farm resources for such purposes? There would seem to be a case for training farm people for part-time work, that is part-time in food production. and_.part-time: art-tim_ ,in � farm recreational services. short jabs Recent ad ina local newspaper: "For sale: Electric, typewriter by" 'se kretary Y with wl'. carria mak:_ Have you heard of the novelist who got his idea for second book from' the movie 9 New Year's Eve, I went to bed 'feeling like 16 and woke up feeling like '70. - - The only man who ever got all of his work done by' Friday clientele. was Robinson Crusoe. Insur�ce coverage important. for farmers Farming, • like any, • other business, is filled . with 'risks. Many of the hazards. taeed by the farmev.• are beyond his control, created by his' dependence - uponthe climate and biologigal- processes.. In addition}, a, .farmer faces all the financial and economic problems confronting the industrial businessman. Thus, ..for those 'in agriculture, -insurance against risk of all sorts is vital. Insurance shouldplay a biig part in a. farmer=s business arrangements, but often many aspects of it are overlooked.' Thee are the observations of Mr. Douglas Baker, Farm. Management and Agricultural Economics Division, Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology, who is primarily concerned with. property and liability insurance coverage. Mr. Baker says that farmers should consider several basic questions when insuring their property. Are buildings that are fully used being insured to the amount it•would cost to replace them? Many farmers have houses or large buildings insured for perhaps $5,000. Yet the cost of replacing that building,,w.ould be far more than the insured value. On the other hand, many farmers insure buildings they no longer use; this is wasted money. Insuring a building is not enough. All the' articles of value it contains -should -be, insured as well, AU articles valued at $250, or more should be itemized. This means electrical household' appliances, furs, jewels, rugs, drapes, cameras,- sports and hobby ..items. It means farm machinery (insured 'to its replacement value); equipment, tools, supplies; feeds, pesticides, and all livestock. They should not simply be covered for loss inside the buiidi g, but for outside hazards as well.. • The question_ of what to insure against :must also be. answered, says Mr. Baker. Fire, storms; floods and all mahner of natural causes can now be allowed, but, as with proPerty insurance, a farmer must c o nes ider his- priorities. .'It r probably is not economically' sound to irisure against floods if there has been no flood for sixty • years. The • cost •of one year's, losses through a freak flood will probably be less than hood pr'emiu'ms -.paid to no benefit over 2,0 years., Wind damage; on the other hand,,omight be an annual hazard. Insurance should be placed where it is most necessary. - Liability insurance is also a must for every farmer, says Mr. Baker. Liability insurance protects farmers from Miscellaneous hazards for which they might otherwise be held liable. Suits and losses are often due to machinery and wagon coliisiohs' with cars and trucks o'n the road. Livestock may be. involved in a collision with motor vehicles, or may break fences, damaging someone else's land. - Personal liability policies iprotect the farmer, his -family, arlhis employees. They can insure against a variety of risks, such as a dog biting a neighbor or injury or death in an accident with fam machinery, the family snowmobile or saddle horse. Mr. Baker, 0 ecomends that every farmer carry al. minilnum of $100,Q00-, in liability insurance. - For full details about insurance coverage,. farmers should contact their local insurance -agents, or ` obtain insurance -booklets either ,from the Canada Department of Agriculture or the Ontario Diepartment of Agriculture- and Food. To avoid .risks Seek out liptorouttion if you wont to grow soybeans If you . are thinking of growing soybeans for 'the first time, look up all the information you can to avoid :.making mistakes. Ohe good source is Publication 173, A New Look at Soybeans, available at county or district offices of the Ontario ' Department of. Agriculture and Food. It outlines the following., important points in soybean production). Soybeans grow best qn. level,. well -drained, fertile loain and clay loam fields, free of perennial weeds such. as quack grass, ° chicory 'and -Canada thistle. They often suffer from drought and • herbicide injury on sandy soils. A wide range of maturities, is available. To .find varieties that will mature in your area, check Publication 296, Field Crop Recommendations, also .available at county or district offices of the Ontario Department of Agriculture and Food. ' Soybeans do not show much response to fertilizer applied at seeding time, but respond well to residual fertility " from previous crops such as corn. A soil . test is the beat guide to what - fertilizer is needed. General recommendations. call . for 125 pounds per acre of nitrogen, phosphate and potash` in a 1-4-2 ratio on clay and 175 pounds per acre of nitrogen, phosphate and potash in a 1-4-4 ratio- on loam .orsand, bf oadcast before planting, or banded 2 inches below and 2 inches to the side of tilt-- seed. • An additional 30 pounds of nitrogen per acre may_ boost yields ,when soybeans are grown in a field for the first tithe,' because bacteria Which supply nitrogen :,may not be present. • Manganese deficiency sometimes, appears. Veins stay green while the rest of the leaf turns pale green or white. Apply 8 to 10 pounds" ofy manganese sulfate in 20 gallons of water per acre with a herbicide -free sprayer as soon as the symptoms appear. • Apply a soybean -type - inoculant to the seed just before. planting. Bacteria in the inoculant convert nitrogen from air into a,form that can be used by soybe, ns. Seed also should be treated" "with. -a fungicide - insecticide combination except - when soybeans are grown .in a field fQr the first time. The seed inoculant, so important in these fields, is more effective when the fungicide -insecticide is omitted. Soybeans generally yield best in narrow row spacings, particularly when early, 'short varieties are grown. Plants should fill all the space between the rows by the time the crop is in full bloom. To ° achieve this, grow Merit and Altona varieties in 7 to 14 -inch, Hardome and Chippewa in 14 to 21 -inch; and Harosg' in 21 to 28 -inch row spacings. Level the soil as much as possible before seeding so the combine can operate close to the ground and catch the . lowest pods at harvest. Sow approximately'' 60 pounds (one bushel) of seed per acre in 28 -inch, 75 pounds in "21 -inch, 90 -pounds in 14 -inch and 105 pounds in --`=inch row spacings. Also check seed drop seedlings have trouble emerging. Good -weed-, control is important. Deep-rooted perennial weeds must be brought under control before soybeans re, grown, probably while rowing corn. Annual weeds can ' be controlled in the . soybeans with a rotary hoe, herbicides row cultivation: In 7 and 1 -inch rows, raw cultivation is not practical so over-all:, treatment - with . herbicides- is._'nece;;sary.-tit . Many --herbicides are° recommended. for ,,,,,soybeans.. Some, give good ' control of broadleaf annual weeds while others, area good on annual grasses. As a result, two herbicides are often )nixed together . in the -sprayer, or applied separately at different times, to obtain control of both weed types. See Publication 75, Guideto Chemical Weed Control.- Careful harvest is very. important. Combine slowly and close fo the ground to catch low pods: The reel should, be ahead of the cutter bar and operate at about 11/4 times the ground speed of the machine. The combine can operate closer to the ground if theseedbed is packed after seeding to push clown soil ridges and stones. Check settings for concaves, cylinders and fans in the manufacturer's manual. Small lots of soybeans can be because seed size varies from one .JtOredJn.,binslike cereal.grains-if- 4 variety to another. Sow••,_moisture--content is 13- percent.'.' approximately. 12 seeds per foot .N or less. When large quantities are in.28-inch rows, 10 per foot in stored for long ' periods,' . or '21 -inch rows, 8 per foot in during warm -weather, they -must 14 -inch. rows and 6 per foot in be aerated even when low in 7 -inch rows. Soybeans can • be moisture. sown with -a ,grain drill .or -corn- .-Sgyb'eans may be sold as a planter equipped with bean cash • crop or fed as a protein plates. Do not sow over 1' to 2 supplement (38, percent, crude inches deep' unless the seed bed protein). They can be ground is- very dry: °Pack after'seeding, . and fed raw to cattle and sheep, but , be prepared to break soil but must be heat-treated for crusts with a rotary hoe if swine and 'poultry. f YOU WILL HAVE -JO TRAVEL FAR TOFIND AS LARGE SELECTION OF, THE FINEST B FOR FARM:INDUSTRY & The Legmaker CONSTRUCTION .We carry them either plain or safety toed. ; Oxford, :boot tyle, tt insulated and regular linings. All built to take 'the toughest wear and conditions. 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