The Wingham Advance-Times, 1989-08-01, Page 2Page 2A - The Wingham Advance-Timea, Aug. 1, 1989
CP Rail blocks
old rail line track
Anyone hoping to use the recent-
ly closed old Teeswater line of the
Canadian Pacific Railroad for recrer
Wenger
Publications
357-2320
ational purposes has undoubtedly
noticed that it has been closed to
vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
Piles of dirt and a deep trench at
intersections of the rail line and
roadways make the line inaccessi-
ble.
In this area the line runs through
much of Howick Township.
Paul Thurston, a public relations
contact with CP Rail, told this
paper the company had requested
its contractor to close the line off.
"We had complaints from people
regarding noise coming from the
line, and decided recreational use
of the line should be prohibited
until we can determine what its
(the line's) final use will be."
Mr. Thurston also cited questions
of insurance regarding recreational
use by private individuals. "The
line is still property of CP Rail and
as far as I know we are responsible
it anyone gets hurt, `^ naturally we
want to avoid any problems until a
decision has been made."
He was unable however, to give a
date as to when the unsightly
mounds of dirt might disappear but
said a decision should come fairly
soon.
ATTENTION
Howick, Turnberry Competitors
For Veal Competition®
Class 1. - Calf weighing up to 500 lbs.
Class 2. - Calf weighing from 500 to 600 lbs.
Class 3. - Showmanship with rope halter.
Please Call
Ron Douglas e 327-8558 or
Wendell Stamper • 335-6125
Before Fall Fair Days, October 6-7
St. Paul's Church
(ANGLICAN) WINGHAM
John Street at Centre Street
THE ANGLICAN PARISH OF
WINGHAM AND BELGRAVE
All services from the "Book of Common Prayer"
SUNDAY, AUGUST 6, 1989
11:00 a.m. - Matins
Minister : Rev. D. Madge
Trinity Belgrave - 9:30 a.m.
GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
Temporary Home - Bluevale Community Hall
Pastor: Rev. Jerry'Vander Veen
Feeding "The Church of God which He has purchased with His own
blood" - Acts 20:28
REGULAR SERVICES:
Sunday School for all ages - 10:00 a.m.
Worship Services - 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Mid -Week Service - Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
Dynamic Study Period on Major Biblical Doctrines
Youth Activities as announced
For information, counselling, transportation
call 519-357-2984
Mailing address: RR 2, Wingham, Ont. NOG 2W0
ti14»
cgetabes
Schweppes. 750 rel.
Ginger Ale, Tonle, Soda • "
Schneider's 450 g
Wieners••••••-•••••••
Christies' 450 g boxes
Oreo or Fudgeeo Cookies • • •
Puritan,
184g
Flaked Ha l ri f 0 • • • ® • • • • •
Olinda. 48 oz.
Apple Juice . • a • • • • • ei • •
WINGHAM FRUIT
STORE ORE HOURS< Mon. - 1" i i. • :30 a.m. -
Saturdayt 7:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Phone 357-240. We De1iv nd
m e .49
+ Dap.
1e89
2.59
•• 1.39
•• .99
ECOLOGICAL TOUR—Wingham area farmer Brian Jeffray
explains his ecological farming methods to about 40 area farmers
on a bus tour sponsored by the Maitland Valley Conservation
Ecological ming
Authority. The Jeffray's 450 -acre farm is one of several in South-
western Ontario to change over to organic farming practices,
reducing production costs while saving the environment.
etter results and fewer hazards
(Continued from Page 1A)
Ecological farming methods cre-
ate a cycle, with plant and animal
residues returning nutrients to the
soil and less than 20 per cent of the
biomass ever leaving the farm.
Farms that have operated this way
for years experience an increased
soil humus and nutrients. In the
past two years, the soil here shows
a substantial increase in potassium
and phosphorous.
Changes in our farm routine are
minimal. We no longer purchase
herbicides, -chemical fertilizer or
protein ,cpnteg#x*tes. We still pur-
chase a mineral supplement.
The feeding, program has
changed from hay and corn silage
to hay and haylage, and the grain
ration from oat, barley, corn, soya
and mineral to oat, barley, rye and
mineral. When you take the corn
out of the ration, your requirements
for additional protein to balance the
protein -to -energy ratio diminishes.
On this farm, these changes
result in a minimum saving of
$20,000.
"Crop rotation imitates
nature's need for diversity."
Good crop rotation imitates
nature's need for plant diversity.
Nature grows many complemen-
tary species together that improve
soil condition. For the same reason,
ecological farmers grow a variety of
craps, but rotate them in sequence
for diversity. Here is the general
rotation plan:
1. Plow sod irr July, till two or
three times, plant wheat in Septem-
ber.
2. Harvest wheat in July, plant oil
radish, chisel plow in the fall.
3. Cultivate twice, plant oats
underseeded with red clover, har-
vest in August, cultivate two or
three times, then plant fall rye.
4. Combine rye in July, allow vol-
unteer rye to form cover crop, or
cultivate to control twitch grass.
5. Seed barley underseeded to
hay or pasture.
6. Four years of hay or pasture
ends the rotation.
Composted manure makes better
fertilizer than raw manure or chem-
ical fertilizer.
By composting or rotting manure
before applying it to the land, you'll
have fewer weed seeds and a prod-
uct high in aerobically active micro-
organisms. It also has a balanced
ph -factor.
The dairy cows are now housed
in a free stall system with plenty of
bedding, both for cow comfort and
to fulfill the need for straw (carbon)
in the composting process. Even in
winter, doors are opened for at least
an hour a day. Exercise and good
oxygen supplies are beneficial to
animal health. This type of housing
is humane; good housing and
,, healthy A,hemical-free crops all
enhance the health of the livestock.'
In the milkhouse we use 35 -per
cent peroxide instead of chlorinated
detergent to clean the milking
equipment. The result is clean
equipment for the same money, and
waste water that is much less offen-
sive to the environment.
We have a number of energy con-
servation systems in place on the
farm as well, such as a plate heat
exchanger, precooling milk with
water the cows will drink, and a
heat recovery system on the bulk
tank compressor that preheats
water going into the water heater
for equipment washing. These two
items have decreased energy con-
sumption by about a third.
The energy used in the manufac-
turing and distribution of spray
and fertilizer is vast in comparison
to the energy used in tillage. A typi-
cal conventionally -grown crop
using fertilizer and sprays may take
as much as three times the energy
to produce as the crop actually con-
tains. Thereforeethe amount of non-
renewable petroleum used in this
system is greatly reduced.
Over the past two years, we have
noted considerable changes to our
advantage. For one thing, it costs
far less to get a crop in the ground
than it did before. Planting and har-
vesting dates are spread out
through the year, resulting in less
time pressure.
Soil compacting is minimized
with the changes in harvest time.
We're not in the fields late in the
fall for corn, or early in the spring
for manure application. Manure is
spread in July.
Weeds are not as bad as we
expected they would be, and will
become less of a problem as soil is
balanced. Crops are as good as ever,
*1110NNNNNN11011101111ANN111lN■
bYGE1116_
so Phone 357-1630 for 24 hour movie information
PLAYING FROM FRIDAY TO THURSDAY AUGUST 4th to 10th
SHOWTIMES: FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AT 7:00 and 9:00 PM
SUNDAY TSD THURSDAY AT 8:00 PM EACH EVENING
if not better.
Crop rotation uses the entire
growing season, so the soil is better
protected from erosion by wind
and wet.
Increased profitability and low-
ered costs makes farming more fun
and rewarding. And the encourage-
ment from consumers is gratifying.
There's a certain peace of mind in
knowing you are not poisoning
your family or the environment,
and that you are building and
improving -the soitfor the futi re:
Next year, -We-Will-II&riiaking
more' changes. We plan to grow
spelt, an ancient form of wheat that
is ideal for people with wheat -relat-
ed `allergies.
Also, by next year, our products
will be certified by the Organic
Crop improvement Association,
giving us greater marketing options
for our produce at a premium price.
We have become members in a
Southwestern Ontario organic
farmers co-operative, and this will
help our marketing capabilities
internationally as well as province -
wide.
"If the human race disap-
peared from the planet, it
would be the best thing that
ever happened."
We must keep ourselves, as
human beings living on this planet,
in perspective. If the human race
disappeared from the face of the
-da th"yoinoi4rbw—'clivi-ibiiiheiitally
speaking — it would be the best
thing that ever happened. Nature
would slowly heal the damage we
as humans have done, and systems
and cycles that complement each
other would re -develop. If we, the
human race, are to survive, or if the
earth is to survive humanity, we
have to realize that mere conserva-
tion is not enough. The time for
regenerative practices, especially in
agriculture, is long overdue.
ACCESS DENTED—Recreational use of the old Teeswater C
Railway line in Howick Township is not allowed. A CP -spokesper-
son told this paper the line has been blocked off to prevent people
from using it for recreational purposes. This picture was taken at
Sideroad 25 in Howick Township.
l'+1i Paul Thurston, a spokesperson for CP -Rail said for
safety and insurance purposes, access to the old line will he
blocked off until a decision is made regarding the future of the
ProPertk