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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1959-01-01, Page 3-Grandma Was A Champion Fryer Whei X was a boy, a fall or winter Saturday evening had attractions offered by no other time, It was an interval or re- laxing, remembering, preparing - the luxurious, cozy end (it another busy week. Of course, Saturday evenings in spring and summer had ad - Vantages, too, but they couldn't produce the snug comfort that arrived with the early darkness of, saY, late November. Our un - electrified home was never so cheerful, never so hospitable and carefree. The lighted lamp on the round golden oak tabl.s in the living room, the dusky print of the three horses' heads (Grandma said the steeds were Pharaoh's), the easy chair in the window that kept its eye un the Mohawk River, the book on the nearby stand, awaiting the after -supper reading - well, my environment has changed many times, but those shining hours have been my yardstick for contentment. Relaxing, to the boy meant an hour with Black Beauty, the Brownies, the Argonauts, or with Ernest as he studied the Great Stone Face in the White Hills. Grandma assisted In the reading, even when the lad was well able to do his own, tor he was always eager to hear her animated voice act out the stories. The remembering on Satur- day evening recalled not only events of the week - academic and recreational - but a much _ more recent pleasure: Grand- ma's fried potatoes, a traditional part of the day's supper. She was a champion frier. I 'recall the pleasure I got from slicing the cold potatoes, left over from dinner, and speeding the thin slivers into the iron pan at the hot front of the coal stove. 1 took a station close by, to he certain that my pieces were al- lowed to carbonize properly. To me the height of culinary per- fection was a heavily overfried potato. I loved it and still do. "Well, if you turn into a chunk - of charcoal, don't say I didn't .warn you." Grandma would chuckle. Fortunately, the transformation did not take place, so she had no occasion for I -told -you -so. The Saturday remembering, however, concerned loftier mat- ters recalling major and minor triumphs of the last week -that I had beaten my arch rival, Freddie Winters, in arithmetic; that I had successfully, yes, triumphantly, Identified in geo- graphy •class the capitals of the Balkan countries, a feat I was unable to duplicate in later years. It was also, perhaps, good to remember that I had planted a rather sharp left on the chin of any occasional antagonist, Jack Niles, Grandma, to whom I promptly reported my, victories as they came to pass, seemed especially pleased when I had walloped poor. Jack, realizing full well, I suppose that the next time there would be a different story and that credit should be given in a' hurry. Let me admit that the week had likewise provided events re- flectink less gl a mo ro usly less creditably on my scholastic prowess; however, I naturally wasted no time thinking about them. Nor shall I give you, even now, a •sample of iny, short- comings, except to suggest that long division was my nemesis for several weeks despite Grand- ma's patient assistance, and that I never fully -mastered the head- tauarter cities of those trouble- some twins, the Virginias, and the Dakotas, writes John L. Cooley in The Christian Science Monitor. The chief item in the pre- paratory part of my Saturday evening routine was the study of the morrow's Sunday school lesson. Although 1 never said so to Grandma, perhaps et this advanced clay 1 may confess to you that this was S. dilOrd. I fre,• quently conferred with my neighborhood cronies on the matter, and we agreed that the time spent in memorizing the outlandish names of Old Testa- ment Oharacters could he better used. (May I add, not in self- defense but in the interests of truth, that my opinion under- went radical and profound al- teration as the years brought enlightenment. My friends' views changed also, I believe; anyway, one of them became a minister..) Saturday evehing at this time of year was an excellent time tor forward thinking. Frankly, this was self-centered It com- prised chiefly the active antici- pation of the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, with their re- lease from the clutches of my educator, the exchanges of good will (and gifts), the extraordin- ary opportunities for good eat- ing. It was pleasant to. contern-i plate the turkey and mince pie that would be mine, twice in about a month. And'it was quite • possible, even in November, to plan •what one woulddo on skates, snowshoe, and sled dur- ing the glorious week betWeen Christmas and New Year's when a boy would (he hoped) have new , equipment to demonstrate to="Iiis friends. - Stormy evening, were, I think, best of all. Let the weather charge at our hilltop: I cud- dled in my chair and thought of the unfortunate folks' who, in Grandma's phiase, "had, to be out in all this." We agreed that we were indeed fortunate to have the warm room, the books, the lamp, the good companion- ship. But whatever the weather, the hours sped swiftly between'. Saturday supper and Grandma's' inevitable, uncontestable com- ment, about 9 o'clock: "Well, there's plenty of hot water, so it's you for the tub!" They Practise Tongue -Twisters • If you think that tongue - twisters such as "She sells sea- shells on the seashore" are old- fashioned or merely a pastime for children, ask famous TV and radio announcers, preachers, teachers, alter -dinner speakers and singers what they think, They'll all tell you that ,the tongue -twister is a vital part of - their training. The tongue, say elocutionists, must be trained to precision of action .just as ef- fectively as any other part of the human frame. One radio announcer has re -s. vealed that the fact that he could accurately s a y: "T h e seething sea ceaseth and thus the seething sea •ssifficeth us" helped' him land a good job. A well-known clergyman who practised such tricky sentences as "Gaze on the gay, grey bri- gade" and "The sun shines on shop sign" for months now preaches .eloquent and crystal. clear sermons. A •public -school teacher whose training Included such gems as "The sixth sheik's sixth sheep's sick" and "Theoph- ilus Thistle, the thistle sifter, sifted" is in great demand as a lecturer. Tongue -twisters are also help - Ins to cure lisping. They have often been used to test a. per- son's sobriety. 'A London doctor', once asked a suspected drunk to' utter the words "Methodist Epis- copal". The man failed; but he succeeded in .saying '"truly rural" without a hiccup. The second floor tenant called • the party below and shouted; "If you don't stop playing that blasted saxophone, I'll go crazy." "I guess it's too late," came the reply, "I stopped an hour age." CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1. Simian 4. Persian ruler 8. Discharged an obligation 12. /rritate 18. Yarn 14. Church recess 16. Telephone girl 17. Vex 18. Eccentric Part 13, Humbled 21. Furrowed 24. Droop 28. Ignited 26. Horse 28. Unusual • 22. Fragrance 14, Fliscult 86 Protuberance 27 Pierced with horn/. • 89. Mire 41. Do Up 42, Small swallow 44. 81rew to be 46. Thought out 50, Except 61. War god 62. Expending 66. Aromatic Plant 57. Pnssage in 58, Onntend 89 ("artistes 60. Eerlosit of metni 41, House wing rintvi4 1, osin of 224ten4 2, Vigor 43, 'Representa- tive of M. testatol' 9. Honey bee 10. Small Island 11. Exploit 16. Rodent 20. Forbid 21. Beat 22 Fashionable beach resort 33 Opposes 23 Pith or point 23 (lad 01 the underworld 40 PUI.111t1.1 discussion 43 Treadle 4 Flower part 23. Light touch 46 trielsion 6. Headpiece '27. Chewing 40 Moist 6. Absolute ' substs nee 47. Canal property 29. Hrammallcal 48. Outlet %Heir (civil case 49 Prank law) 80. Kind 04 63, Cover 8, Pattern or cheese 54 Nothing excellence 31 IThnsntempr1 81 Sollelll'v illataraillifilintill I° NI 1111111161111111111118411111111 ilIMMINIIIIMMIN11111011 IKIIIIIIWBIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIMII MillileglibillgaillineW limmillir INV 30 ill 1111111 : Mr. 40 :iffil MO EN Bia al 6. iliblellt. it5 IMILIN 111101111101 NMI allillanilill . 111110111K6 IMMO RN ,I24 0 54 55 Answer elsewhere on t 7is page HATES CROWDS - Crepwds. are no novelty to this champion Hereford, and, to judge by his expression, he doesn't like 'em. Beverly 'McGrath, 12, brought her prize osnimal to enter him in the 59th annual International Livestock Exposition'. TIIEFARM FRONT j 0 69114ASSI1 ,4s The following is one of a ser- ies of articles by Dorothea Kahn Jaffe in the Christian Science Monitor based on her study of modern farming in the U.S. Mid- dle West. It should be of interest to many Canadians interested in cooperative marketing. • * • John Reed sits in his office at the Elkhart County Farm Bu- reau Cooperative here and looks over the operation of some 50 or more privately owned poultry farms. He does it by looking at a chart on his office wall. This chart has movable indicators which show just when each farmer started to feed his cur- rent crop of broilers, at what dates the chicks were -given cer- tain types of feed, and the ex- act -date they will be ready for market. Further infOrmation about each /Anil is contained in a.hanging file on the wall beside the chart. John Reed has to know a•great deal about these farms in his capadity ,as •director of the poul- try ,department for the coopera- tive. The cooperative has a fin- ancial stake in each • farmer's operation. In today's language, the coop is an "integrator." it provides the farmer .with feed and baby chicks on credit,,gives him technical assistanbe, • and pays'him so much a pound (less cost of feed and chicks) after the broilers are 'marketed. • * • This farm -business setup pro- tcts the farmer from market fluctuations by guaranteeing him a flat rate per pound in advance - of production. It also offers him a bonus for efficient feeding. In return, the cooperative' gets a steady supply of broilers. This enables the cooperative to mar- ket the birds to the big proces- sors who demand a constant regular volume ‚in order that they in turn may operate effi- ciently. In this highly organized, low -margin -of -profit bu sines s, everything depends upon timing. No longer can volume of sup- plies be left to the haphazard ways of nature. The integrator therefore plays an important role in maintaining regular marketing schedules, Al- most all of the broilers commer- cially produced in the United States are now produced by "integration," it is estimated. * * 4 In many areas feed companies, hatcheries, and processors are the integrators. One of the big hatcheries, Co bbs Pedigreed , Chix, Inco operates here. But Mr. Reed and his 'associates are showing that a cooperative may serve as an integrator with com- parable success. The coOperative in this ease was already in the feed business. It sells its poultry feed at retail (on credit) to the broiler growers With whom it has contracts. * * 15 Like other integrators, this one Jselps farmers to increase their efficiency by adopting the latest findings of the research laboratories. Mr. Reed to a poul- try specialist, president of the broiler department of the In- diana Poultry Association. He has a long record of prac- tical experience in the hatchery and poultry processing business. He has :also been a -feed sales- man and part owner of a hatch- ery. Working with him is Victor Gardner, another experienced poultry man. Mr. Gardner op- erates the Farm Bureau Cooper- -ative's hatchery, a sizeable busi- ness in itself with a capacity 01 210,000 chicks. The cooperative has a contractual arrangement with farmers for the output of 20,000 laying hens who provide the hatchery eggs. Vic and John, as the farmers know them, are always ready to advise the cooperating farmers in regard ,to new poultry teas- nology. They, act as liaison men between the farmers -and the re- search laboratories of the uni- versities and•lhe feed companies.: They work also ,with the county agent's 'staff, gathering all the information they can _which has bearing on the poultry produc- • er's job. ,How valuable this new technology is proving is indicat- ed in the reduced amount of feed now necessary to bring a broiler to marketing age. • * 15 One feed 'company expert puts . it this way: "In grandfather's day more than five pounds of feed were needed to produce pound of broiler meat; today it takes only 21/2 pounds. Then it took 13 weeks to grow a three - pound bird; today it takes about nine.'' More efficient production and Marketing has made broilers a bargain item at the chain store, Thanks to lower prices, fried chicken, once a company- din- ner dish, now appears on week- day tables and a greatly inereas- ed demand exists. Broiler pro- duction is reported to have in- creased fivefold since 1943. * • * Integration has had a lot to do with all this. Mr. Reed says the big appeal of the integration plan to farmers is that it takes most of the risk out of broiler production, Under the old sys- tem, a farmer might have to sell his entire flock on a low market, for broilers cannot be held more than a week or so from the time they reach marketing weight, * * 15 tinder such circumstances. a producer could lose money on the operation. If he was so un- fortunate as to strike a low mar- ket the next time he had birds ready to sell, the loss might be serious indeed. But by dealing with an integrator, he gets a guaranteed return a pound or per bird. * The integrator can afford to give this guarantee because he is selling constantly, and he gets 'the advantage of market peaks to make up for periods of slump. Actually, he plans the timing of each brood so that the mar- keting he does for the differ- ent farmers will be spread out over the entire month. Nitwits! Arise! Lady Helen Nutting, chairman of the British Council of Mar- ried Women, wants Parliament to pass a law requiring husbands to turn over to their wives a percentage of their salaries. She would let Parliament decide the amount, Lady Helen says the status of British wives is inferior and she blames existing laws which make a husband lord and master of his wife's property, if any, and re- quire only that a man must "maintain" his wife and "answer for her debts," Maintenance isn't enough in this day and age, Lady Helen ar- gues. A wife, unless she is a "little nitwit with no ambition," needs some extra spending money which would be hers by right. As far as American males are concerned, Lady Helen's com- plaint reads like the account of some strange social custom dis- covered by an intrepid explorer in an out-of-the-way jtutgle. U.S. husbands have long since lost control over the weekly paS, check, to the•"little woman." The legislation they would favor would be an act perrnitting a male wage earner to keep some trivial share of • his pay for his very, very own. Which leads us to the thought that if a Council of U.S. hus- bands were- ever organized and amalgamated with Lady Helen's Council, the resulting 'revolution might be more world-shaking than any Karl Marx ever antici- pated. -Denver Post. INDAY SC11001 LESSON BY Rev. R. IL Warren, ILA* an, Jeans Is Christ the ILerfi Mark 8:27-35 Memory Selection: Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. As when Jesus was here, so today, people' have different opinions as to who Jesus really is. Students of practically all religions agree that Jesus was is good man who taught tine ideals. Some call him a prophet. The Mohammedans consider him to be a prophet though not a par with Mohammed. One of their favorite sayings is, "There is no God except God and Mohammed is his prophet." As four men car- ry the open coffin bearing their loved one to the grave, they chant this saying over and over on their way. There are some bearing the name of Christians who believe in Jesus as a good man, even as a son of God as we are all sons of God, -and stop there. Of course, such a one could not be a Redeemer and Saviour. lie could set us a good example but could not provide forgiveness and new life for the sinner. The confession of Peter is the correct answer: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Since all sin is primarily against God, only God can grant complete forgiveness. His will- ingness and desire to do so is shown in the fact that He sa se His Son to be made in the like- ness of men to become a Medi- ator. Jesus Christ is our only hope. Though Peter, made the great confession, he did not fully un- derstand that Jesus Christ must suffer in order to make atone- ment for our sins. He did not see that the portrayal of the suffer- ings of Messiah as given by Isaiah., chapter 53, would be lit-, erally fulfilled. We all shrink from the cross. We seek our own comfort. We hesitate to deny ourselves, take up the cross and follow Jesus. But this is the way into 'the kingdom for us alt "For whoso- ever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gos- pel's, the same shall save,:it." It is not enough to acknewjegss in word that Jesus is the the son of God. We must follow Him. • "I see that tips are forbidden here, waiter." "So were apples in 'the Garden of Eden, sir." Upsidedown to Prevent Peeking • 3 3 a o i s1 3 d • 3 a V 1 NI 9 N 1411 t4 3 a 3 3 0 a 3 3 1 1' 0 S 31 i(19 3ON Na 3 s 0 11114.0:11)( AON OVN SY s galn, sve 3a WV D 3 d S d Id V 3 V d 0 11 23 tst 0 a .1. I v a 9 0 1 0 A v FAIR SHAKE FOR FARMERS - There's a machine for everything nowadays, or so it seems. A good example is this mechanical tree shaker, shown being tested above. It is one of a numbet of commercial machines under study. The aim is to remove a maximum of good fruit with minimum power and tree damage. The machines are successfully harvesting prunes, almonds, Walnuts.