Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1990-07-25, Page 6• 6 — THE HURON EXPOSITOR, JULY 25, 1990 • In Owl matter al tilt* Ontario Heritage Act, 1100, R.S.O. cPi iWr 182. NOTICE OF INTENTION TO DESIGNATE TO. CITIZENS OF SEAFORTH BARBARA BOX ONTARIO HERITAGE FOUNDATION Take notice that the Councii of the Corporation of Urs Town of 8esalortn on the 10th Clay of July. 1990, decided t0 designs** the lairds aria buildings known municipally as The Box Residence, 57 High Street, as property of architectural and historical value or interest under The On. tarso Heritage Act, 1980, R S 0 Chapter 122 SHORT STATEMENT OF THE REASONS FOR THE PROPOSED DESIGNATION BOX RESIDENCE • Built in 1927, the Box Residence is a very interesting example of the Queen Anne style dwelling with identifying features such as the corner turret and characteristic wood shingles The building in- cludes original exterior panelled wood doors on both the front and the side of the residence, as well as, interesting decorative garlands over the windows of the tront bay Of particular interest are the decorative finials on the roof; and the use of cast stone in the foundation and porch supports - which is a rare use of materials in this style of structure_ The fluted done columns at the tront porch and the leaded window heads add delicacy to the building's overall impression. Notice of objection to the designation may be served on the Clerk within thirty days of the 11th day of July, 1990. Dated at Seaforth, this 11th day of July, 1990. JAMES CROCKER, AMCT CLERK -TREASURER In the matter of the Ontario Heritage Act, 1980, R.S.O. Chapter 122. NOTICE OF PASSING OF BY-LAW Take notice that the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Seaforth, has passed By-law Number 21 - 1990 to designate the following property as be- ing of architectural and historical value or interest under Part IV of The On- tario Heritage Act, 1980, R.S.O. Chapter 122. 19 SPARLING STREET REASONS FOR THE DESIGNATION OF 19 SPARLING STREET PLETSCH RESIDENCE - Built in 1895, The Pletsch Residence is of red brick construction, and is notable at the exterior for the ornamental gables incor- porating heavily carved brackets and trim. The curved cast -stone window heads are of a unique design for this area, as are the curved stained glass window heads at the living room and upper hall. The opening to the front porch features a keyhole window. Of particular interest is the exceptional interior front hall and trim which includes a leaded cut -glass front door, stained glass transom, sliding doors into the living room which have etched and handpainted floral motifs, 2 stained glass windows on the north wall of the stair, one of which may be associated with the tradesman who prepared stained glass for the local Presbyterian church. As well, there is also exceptional detailing on the woodwork which includes a fully panelled stair, twisted spindles, ornamental surrounds for windows and doors with fan motif corner blocks, carved newels, and spin- dle work in the arch containing the sliding doors into the living room. The house also, is associated with I.V. Fear, who was involved in the foun- ding of the first telephone in Seaforth. Dated at Seaforth, this 10th day of July, 1990. JAMES CROCKER, AMCT CLERK -TREASURER Area man pioneer in conservation farming In the matter of the Ontario Heritage Act, 1980, R.S.O. Chapter 337, Section 32. NOTICE OF PASSING OF BY-LAW TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Seaforth passed By-law Number 22 - 1990, on the 10th day of July, 1990 under The Ontario Heritage Act, 1980, R.S.O. Chapter 337, Section 32. AN EXPLANATION of the purpose and effect of the by -taw, describing the lands to which the by-law applies is provided below. The complete by-law is available for inspection at my office dur- ing regular office hours. Dated at the Town of Seaforth, this 10th day of July, 1990. JAMES CROCKER, AMCT CLERK -TREASURER 72 MAIN STREET SOUTH SEAFORTH, ONTARIO NOK 1 WO THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF SEAFORTH BY-LAW NO. 22 - 1990 By-law 22 - 1990 has the following purpose and effect: 1 By -taw 22 - 1990 repeals the designation of the land and buildings owned by Jean Thompson, and known municipally as "The Smith Residence" - 122 Victoria Street. Upon application by the Owner, and after consultation with the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee, the Seaforth Town Council granted their consent to repeal the designating by -taw, as the original intent of designation was on a voluntary basis. This by-law also repeals by-law number 12 - 1978 insofar as it affects Lots 60 and 61, Gouinlock's First Survey, Plan 7, in the Town of Seaforth. BY SUSAN OXFORD wt� t Hunm County history school learn about pioneers carving homes and fauns from vugw forests, establishing set- tlemetnts sustained by local agricul- ture. Today we rattly hear of maims anymore, although there arta few w Huron County. A pioneer of conservation , Don Lobb is sometimes y referred to as 'the father of conser- vation farming' by some farmers. The Lobb's Clinton arca farm has acres of land on rolling hills that slope up a long rye in the Lower Maitland River valley. Twenty years ago white bean production, which was becoming popular in Huron County, was causing serious damage to the soil that Don grew white beans in. Don, wanting to do his best, went looking for ways to prevent soil damage and loss. He had been subscribing to magazines like Prairie Farmer, Soybean Digest and there he read about conservation farming and became influenced by American conservation magazines. His conser- vation thinking evolved over a period of time and his main con- cerns became soil erosion and reducing equipment costs and time. USA Soil Conservation Service promoted soil conservation far more than what Canada or Ontario did. In Michigan there is a Soil Conser- vation staff of three or four in each county, and Michigan counties are half the size of Huron County. In 1980 Don started going to Conser- vation Days in Michigan, then decided to grow crops with no tillage. First off he wanted to reduce equipment. He reduced the amount of tilling on his land and tried no e • • • till, except on check scrips. It was a challenge as nobody case was loin` this type of twuung in the area. He kr ted at the best way to plant his fields so, when possible, on slopes would plant *crow uistcad of straight ova. Surface water cis away a million tonnes of topsoil annually from Ontario farms into the Great Lakes and this can be reduced by planting across slopes. To avoid 6mmg topsoil he since practices zero till agriculture. He doesn't plough in the fall because that would cause the soil to erode away daring the fall and wittier. He doesn't plough in the spring either but lets last year's crop residue, trash, remain on the field. The trash holds the soil in ptace and adds nutrients to the sal as it decom- poses. Don equipped his seeder with extra discs to cut a narrow furrow through the trash and the seeds are dropped into the furrow. He says his soil is mom productive now with a 2 or 3 per cent higher yield, and in his Huron clay loam soil it's about the same. To keep weeds under control cost Don $4 per acres less in the soybean fields and SI per acre more in the corn fields. He no longer indiscriminately sprays for weeds but concentrates on those that emerge. In the summer he hires neighbourhood students to hoe weeds. Chemical herbicides Don uses are only those that work above the ground, such as Round -Up. Conventional ploughing can actually encourage weed growth by burying weed seeds in fall and in spring ploughing brings them closer to the surface. This is another advantage to no till farming. Crop rotation was found to be an effective planting pattern and Don susmes his crops every year. 11 haat also been found to be successful in reduc mg the need for habic:ides. Last year's soybeans leave valuable numeeits and residue for this year's corn. Don's farm bas within the Mait- land Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) watershed; he has also wcxk,ed closely with the Ausable- Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA). After the ABCA became interested in soil conservation the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food followed. Working with AB - CA Don sdopted conservation far- ming and many other conservation practises. He created a broad based berm to contain water in a field. The berm is 200 feet long and 90 feet wide at the base. Spring runoff collects behind the berm and surplus water is carred away by tiles. The berm is actually built in a low lying area on the farm. This project was car- ried out before government land stewardship programs were Eet up to aid farmers with the costs of adopting conservation fanning methods. "We always made changes before programs came out," said Don. "It certainly was an expense to adopt." Soil erosion is a problem that reaches beyond Huron County to almost every corner on earth. Soil degradation was identified as the worst agricultural crisis in Canada's history in a 1984 report, Soil at Risk, by the Senate Agricultural Committee. It has been estimated that if the soil degradation trend isn't reversed in 10 years, Canada's $20 -billion -a -year agriculture in- dustry will decline enormously. This has led some farmers to lean how to better care for their land and some have changed their method of ploughing from conventional to TRASH TO BE PROUD OF - Don Lobb shows a field on his Clinton area farm that has not been ploughed for over 10 years. By leaving Last year's coat residue above the surface, trash, soil erosion is controlled and valuable nutrients are put back into the soil. This year's soybean crop can be seen. Oxford photo. WHYTE BROS. FARMS Limited is ready to receive your 1990 WHEAT CROP •We are agents for the Ontario Wheat Board Whyte Bros. Farms Ltd. R.R. 2 - SEAFORTH 527-1143 conservation n ullage me and reduce farm chemicals. Don helped tound the Huruu Soil and Water District and hes won the Soil Conservauon of America award. Canadian Geographic magacune featured hun in a story about no ull agriculture. Don is a founding ducctur of Soil Conser- vation Canada, a foundation set up to gather public opinion and try to encourage $overnmcnt to take ac- tion on Broil degradauon. Currently he is working as a consultant with Agriculture Canada to advise farms with adoption process of conser- vation farming. Don's farm is one of Ontario's oldest nu till farms and there has been interest in the farm by many people and groups. Not afraid to ask for help, or let scientists and university students experiment on his farm, Don has become involved with many projects on his land. Currently a student working on her masters degree is conducting water control research. Also there has been cover crop projects, soil quality experiments and ground water experiments. Students from around world have toured Don's farm, including students from Africa, Brazil, Australia and Oxford University. Tt e University of Guelph conser- vation class tours Don's farm every fall. Local school children visit the farm as part of their environmental stud'Ps classes. "On average there's at least two people from University of Guelph here anyday," Don said. Under a land stewardship program Don planted clover across some headlands to reduce risk of erosion. Headlands, which are prone to compaction and erosion, are low in productivity and the program gives provision for taking low producing lands out of production. Time is taken to determine the best use for his land, and it results in some unusual farm settings. Biologists at the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) put some low producing cropland into good use as a runway for game. The 250 meter long runway is reforested with white pine and white cedar planted by the MNR. It stretches out to a woodiot by the Maitland River and here there are deer and pheasants. High bush cranberry and autumn olive was also planted to attract birds that keep down the insect population. Don has a large collection of trees and in an area of his farm that is unusually warm and Michigan lilies grow and here he has planted Carolinian tree species. He also has started a nursery for seedlings to move to other areas of the farm. A plantation of white pine and colorado spruce will provide him with short term income as he sells the trees to landscapers. Don has planted windbreak systems along field boundaries. A pond was created in an area that three years ago was waste land. A ditch was modified to divert runoff to the waste land area and a dam built to stabilize the pond. Don has improved the ditch by planting trees along the bank to provide shade, lower the temperature and provide better fish habitat. A municipal ditch flows through Don's property and he has planted trees along it. Since the water in the municipal ditch is probably polluted he doesn't use it on his farm or add to it. "I've used just about every means we have available to us," said Don. Every year in Huron County there is a Conservation Day held at the farm of the year's winner of the Norm Alexander Conservation Award. This year Conservation Day will be held at Peter Feagan's farm, near Carlow, August 23, and this year's theme is 'Environmentally Responsible Agriculture.' There will be information about conservation cropping, tillage, manure management and erosion control structures. Donnelly & Murphy Barristors & Solicitors Tel. 524-2154 Fax 524-8550 D.J. Murphy, Q.C., B.A. CERTIFIED M'EC1AU11 C1'hINAt No CML LITIGATION SY THE LAW SOCIETY Of UPPER CANADA T.V. Murphy, D.V.M., LL.B. MJ. Donnelly, B.A., LL.B. P.J. Murphy, , B.A., LL.B. We are pleased to announce that Michael J. Donnelly has been admitted to partnership and will continue his general practice with special emphasis in Criminal Law and that Patrick J. Murphy has joined the firm and will continue his general practice with a special emphasis on Civil Litigation including Municipal. Planning and Environmental Law. 18 The Square. Goderich, Ontario N7A 1 M3 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 38. Goderich. Ontario N7A 3Y7