HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1980-09-25, Page 25ot our
THE sivilott.gs,VOITORi:SEPTOM.,. i900.-54
, 3, E*NE I_CIPtnt
Who's 'the fenny leeldnit.AdY In the
sppernfarket aisle with peneil and notebook
- in hand, haStilytotalling Up the cost of each
meat item as it is Pliee.d into, her cart?
Proba ly, mel This' is just, one field
maneuverin my personal battle against
rising costs and double digit inflation;
Statistics c anada has reported a. new five
year high in the oast of liVing;' With the
consumer price inclekrising to 10.7*percent
from August 1979 to Augst 1980, laraeli
'beeatise of higher food and housing costs.
This is the third month in a row that the
. index has been above. the 10 percent Mark.
What an ominous sign for the fall and
• winter, when fresh Ontatio-grmin produce
will have to be - replaced ':by American „
imidias,lind our canoed and froon stocks.'
The iiiing Costs and the declining buying
power •of the dollar Seem to be on
everyone's mind these days. Not since the
depression, have so many people been as
aware of pricing and the need of a budgets;
to stretch the food dollar around the table.
And the individual strategies, used to keep
- ---the-old-pocketbook-as-close-mouthed--as—
possible, are as varied as the minds of the
consumers engaged in the struggle.
A good place 'to begin, I've found, is
right at home by cleaning out your kitchen
cupboards, defrosting the refrigerator and
reorganizing the freezer. Imagine my
surprise to find that I had been hoarding
six bottles of vanilla extract, no doubt in
anticipation of some type a, vanilla
pudding orgy. Unless your pantry is
orgnaized with special shelves for certain
things, you juSt keep on buying and
buying, notxemembering what you already
have on hand. In the fridge, if fresh
produce is specifically placed, it can be
easily' rotated, preventing the culture of
those little green unmentionables- in the
back corners. hopefully, when this general
'Shaectatn, colnPleted, you will have a
fixedfure of what is in the larder, and
will be ready for a•fresh.bcginning.
N9w you are ready for Step TWO,`The
Planning Session. Armed with the most
recent,„ newspaper ads for your local
supermarket, you sit and brainstorni out a
general meal outline for the week. In our
family &three that usually means seven
hot dinners, 10 packed lunches,nd seven
hearty breakfasts. At five eggs a.da5r, the
weekly breakfast total is three dozen.
Lunches mean a minimum 20 slices of -cold
- cuts and a can of salmon, padded out by 10
pieces of seasonal fruit, and a bag of
cookies, Plan at least_four types of main
meals; remembering that some may
provide leftovers for a 'easserole, or
Supplement the sandwich meat. A roast of
ee d stet seem quite as expensive when
you can rve a hot meal with gravy for the
first ti cold slices with homemade
_m car_ i aral_eheese_ the_next_day, and_
tna y clean up -the platter with shepherd's
pie the third day. Do you see how you can -
get an overall perseuctive on the week
ahead by reading the ads, and remem-
bering what's stashed in the freezer and
the cupboards?
One of the most beneficial aspects of the
Planning Session is that you usually end up
with one list, prepared for only one
shopping day in the week. This one-shot
grbcery trip will not only save you valuable
time, but it will drastically cut dawn on the
number of times that you are in the, store
environment, exposing yourself to the
ninoazine rack', the candy counter, and all
these other luxury items you just can't
resist.
coupons.and cab. allotment tucked, safely
in your tote bag, yott are now almost ieadY
to take the pl rige. We find it's benefieial
to shop with a friend, both for moral
support and g s economyand se we have
formed_ our oivn car-pool for our weekly
excursiorn- Do you have 'someone who
ihares year desire to cut food costs? Invite
that person along.
When you reach the shopping area it's
better to leave 4rpceries. until the very last,
preventing wilting or defrosting, and also
getting any other busines eut of the way
while you can still afford it. I personally
always like to visit the library next, while
my head is stilf clear. This little indulgence
seems to give me_fresh strengh to face the
task ahead. We almost made a terrible
mistake on our shopping trip last week. At
11:30 'with our stomachs crying out for
food, we ente red the supermarket.
Fortunately, we realized our error in time
and_ made _a hasty _retreat _to_a_ n_e_arby _
restaurant for a sandwich and coffee. The
cost of this small lunch was well repaidThy
the savings of shopping with a satisfied
palate.
PAD ADM -PENCIL
When we finally enter the grocery store
for the concentr ated attack, I always whip
out pencil and pad to add up the items as I
gather them. Not only is it/tentallY
stimualting to see if you can come to the
same total as the check-out girls, but it
makes me more aware of each item's cost,
and whether I really need it, or just think I
do. This also keeps my spending within an
alloted amount, making sure I don't ,have
to blow my whole budget by writing a
cheque at the last mintue. I agree with the
With your list now assembled, clipped Consumers Association of Canada protest
_ _ _ _
agaiust re011icing invduaU nikked
items with the computerized cheekonta,
want to be aware of the,east.o ,rtan'idnal
Onifire-diffetent brands by.
•
rconcentrate only on the specials.
usually well marked and easily located in
proininent display areas. Then I check out
the staple foods; bread and butter, Milk
and ,sugar, salt, pepper and gatsup. I buy
large quantities of non -perishables on sale,
such as catfood or sugar, but only if we can
use them. It's tempting to buy six cake
mixes at a good saving, but our family
seldom bothers with dessert, and I am a
poor cake baker. An item,that gathers dust
on the pantry shelf is no bargain.
• I notice in last week's paper that the
Third World coffee producers are on the
brink of an agreement to prevent the wild
price fluctuations suffered by the industry
in the last year, Bey, that irritates mel We
u s_te_o_ffe_e_frequently_ loom_ h orat,_a_od the
only price fluctuations that I've noticed
have been in the upward direction. Just
hearing the words "coffee" and "price"
again. Surely we deserve one downward
fluctuation.
_ _
fluctnation.
° EXOTIC LITTLE CANS
Life needs a little variety now and then,
TO" keep trimii 'beantiirig TO grim, Tb
provide some changes in our diet, I try to
encourage my husband to help me with the
grocery shopping every six weeks or so. He
is a , chronic impulse buyer, who likes
delicatessen -type 'food, and exotic little
cans of strange things. After he has helped
to fill the grocery cart, it's a reel challenge
to_o_17'_s creativity developing acceptable
recipes for using up ome of these little
EL:1111Iffttfigfja(
BLAZER.
Ruggedness in 2- and 4 -wheel drive.
•
PICKUP
Less weight, new aerodynamic styling.
A step ahead
. CHEVY VAN.
Same big payloads,
large rear door openings.
Introducing the 1981 Chevrolets,
Oldsmobiles, and Chevy Trucks now at
s.527-11
• cLaughlin
Chevrolet Olds Ltd.
* Service • Setection • Savings • Satisfaction • Leasing' Seaforth
CUTLASS SUPREME.
New classy design, classy performance.
Cornes in many models, each roomy and Comfortable.
DELTA 88. Efficient combination of traditional
6 -passenger ride and convenience.
OMEGA
Front -wheel drive, the most affordable Oldsmobile
of spa tars.
4
We've had one built for you.
kieats,
- Anchovies anyone? But, ifyou play your
cards right; you earl UrliOad the grocieries
'at the counter quickly, and then flee away
td the stack with the cart, leaving him
standinrwith his wallet at the check-out,
Just rtS the final total rings up, on the cash
register. All's fair in love and the battle to
maintain a household pudge,
It really is depressing to watch Costs
climbr`so quickly; by such big jumps. The
consumer feels more than _a_ little shell,
a • .,
shocked at how qaickly ,money diSaPpeara
on very necessary things like food, But Ws,
good that people .itee tat4ing about tests,
and making a consciottseffort to reduce
them by more efficient spending, and less
waste., . --
.Perhaps what we have 'lost in the joy of
impulse shopping, we have gained for our
families in the better nutriton that usually
follows increased planning and meal
prepartion.
At least we deserve some silver linings.;
Animal muscle disease studied
For many years, veterinar-
ians saw clinical cases and
read numerous reports of
degeneration of the muscles
in food animals. In the 50's
and 60's, the cause of these
nutritional muscular dystro- '
plies- --was- -an—important- -
breakthrough. These ..dis- •
seases (so-called) were atti-
buted to a deficiency of
either Alpha Tocophenol (Vit
E) and/or Selenium in the
ration. Selenium is known as
the least plentiful but when
pot controlled, very toxic
"fakeii in excess in certain
forms and under certain con-
ditions, signs of toxicity can
vary from -gastro-intestinal
disturbance to death. How.
ever, the most common form
used, sodium selenite (inject-
able) is relatively low in
toxicite when compared to
other forms. •
There appears to be, how-
ever, a beneficial effect when
Selenium and Vitamin E are
combined. It appears that
' vitamin reduces the toxic
effectpf Selenium from. four
to two hundred times. Selen-
ium, on the other hand,
increases the effect of Vita-
min by as much as six times.
k _
There appear to be large
areas of the U.S. which are
'marginal-or-deficient-in--Set--
enium. The same may,, be
said of Ontario. However, a
dietary Selenium deficiency
can and does occur even in
areas where the feeds are
grown on soils known to have
s
adequate amountSelen-
ium. Some defieien es may
occur because of tie pH of
the soil. Also, legumes (as a
rule) are poor absorbers of
Selenium from the soil.
In heavy rainfall, there
appears to be a leaching of
Selenium, hence the plant
would acquire the little Sel-
enium that was available.
The 4mproper use of fertili-
zers (nitrates, phosphates'',
sulphates) could interfere
and compete with Selenium
for absorption. Hence, an
analysis of the soil and
secopunended levels 9i
nutrients should only he
applied. The over use of
fertilizers could lower the pH
of the soil, interfering with
the ability of the plant to
absorb Se from the soil.
- -Grain-may- have adequate --
/levels of Vitamin E at the
time of harvesting; however,
in the process of handling,
there could be damage to the
kernel area and a consequent
loss of Vitamin E. In the
drying process, the elevated
temperature destroys much
of the Vitamin E. There are a
number of other factors also
that could lead to a defici-
ency of Selenium in feed
stuffs.
Selenium may now " be
added to the feeding ration of
dairy cattle in the following
motLietan.
g/kg in dry mixed grain
4not more than SO% of the
cow's diet being grain)
2 mg/kg per head per day in
dry feed
10 mg/kg in loose trace
salt
Minimize disease
Feeding hogs efficiently
Will it pay to feed, $4.00 corn to hogs
this fall? My crystal ball broke long agb.
But if you're forecasting. you soon reali/e
the one big cost is feed. 1 cor is 54.00 you
had better start looking • round how to
make use of that feed a little 'more
efficiently. European countries have
always concerned themselves with high
feed costs and as a result. feed efficiencies.
Now it's our turn to follow them.
First. one has to have a starting point.
Records make it possible. There's a lot of
good simple record keeping systems and
it's a matter of becoming familiar with one
of them. Breeding records arc the most
Important. But as feed costs keep going up.
feed records will become more important.
For example. how much feed did it take to
feed records will become more important.
For example, ho* much feed did it take to
product last year's pork at your place? You
may have had a silo full of feed and not
really cared. But your neighbour. who
docsikeep these records. will know where
to start making changes.
Feed efficiency for market hogs can -vary
from.2,6 lb. of feed to produce 1 lb. of pig,
to a poor coeversion of 4. The worst 1 have •
heard was 7.5 and the best. 1.95. From our
budget. it takes roughly 800 lb. of feed in
farrowing and finishing to produce one f 70
Ib. carcass. If you can save only 1% feed. it
can result in an extra profit of S1.000.
Some of the current thoughts on saving
feed include: conception rates -any sow Tpt
bred is a liability. pigs per sow per yeai--it
takes as much feed for a sow to have 5 pigs
or 12 pigs. proper temperatures by
insulation. ventilation...drafts. spray cool-
ing and densities. select.good. fast grpi.;ing
and lean breeding stock --it takes four times
as much feed to put on a pound of fat as a
pound of lean. minimize diseases and
parasites. don't over feed sows.diarfewaste
feeds --pigs on sett' feeders lake about 35 lb. ,
less feed to reach market, provide clean.
fresh water at all times--fced consumption
is directly related to water consuiriptidn.
Remember. 1% improvement in feed
conversion is worth 51.000,
Burying stalks can prevent.
corn borers next season
BY PAT LYNCH SOUS
AND CROP SPECIAL/ST
This year the European
corn borer is doing more
damage to corn fields than 1
have seen in eight years. It is
causing plants to break at the
cased, above the ear, below
the CAI' and at ground level.
The corn borer causes the
plant to break. The corn
root -Worm weakens the roots
and causes 'the plant to tip
over.
The adult of the corn borer
lays_ its eggs in June. The
larvae start to feed shortly
aftw aeards. To conhol them.
you have to spray an insetti-
cide into the whorl of the
corn plant before- the tassel'
emerges. The larvae feed on
the leaves for a while and
then enter the stalk.. Once
WI< ILLOP
MUTUAL
FIRE
INSURANCE
COMPANY
Estabi.shed 1876
10 Main St. Seaforth
Ph. 527-0400
FULL COVERAGE •
Farm & Urban Properties
DIRECTORS & j1DJUSTERS
Ken Carnochan
Lavern Godkin
Ross Leonhardt
John McEwing
Stanley McIlwain
Donald McKercher
John A. Taylor
J.N. Trewartha
Stuart Wilson
AGENTS
E.F. "Rifl" Durst
James Keys
Wm. Leiper
482-3354
527-1877
345-2234
523-9390
524-7051
527-1837
482-7527
482-7593
527-0687
527-1455
527-0467
523-4257
CALL AN AGENT OR THE OFFICE
iraide the stalk, they oantin-
ue to feed until harvest. This
weakens the stalk and also
allows diseases to enter. This
insect over -winters at the
base of the earn *talks in
*dormapt stage.
They emerge next June
and start all over sgitn.
Burying the awn stalks is the
best way to, get rid of thein.
However, every farmer in
Ontario would have to do this
to get rid of all the adults for
next spring. They fly quite a
few miles between where
they over-svinter and where
they lay their eggs. However
arty field that has a 1. at of
corn stalls on the top of the
ground next spring will be
most prone to -borer damage
next , rear.
CHANGE IN NAME
Independent
Shipper
to
United
Co -Operatives of
Ontario Livestock
Department
Toronto
Shipyouilivestock with
LOU ROWLANO
Dublin
. 345-2301
[formerly Mike Doyle,
Shipper]
For prompt service, call
by Monday evening