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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1979-03-01, Page 14. 7. 14THE', HURON, EXPOSITOR., MARCH. 1, 1.9M • , *•-••1•F-•e•rv•••--,,,wi',1 a1..., ketteet soy soolevoite4 bw Sob hattit tidide Rd (*ma ; Ont. N31 2C1 • • grommiums What, you may ask, is an agrominium? You" didn't ask? You're going to be told anyway: An agrorninium is a sort of commune where a developer divides a 100 -acre farm. into 10 acre lots and puts 10 houses on it, The owners agree to continue to farm the 90 acres that are left, and from the profit, pay the mortgage. There are other definitions. On the surface, it sounds good. It gives 10 families a chance to live in the country and who could want anything more?It keeps land in production. So, w•hy are we talking this week about agrominiums' Because Ontario's intrepid Minister of Agriculture and Food, William Newman, has admitted that he has agreed to a licence for a pilot project. So what? So this: How many communes have been successful? How many of those flower children of a decade • ago mad( go of it on a commune? Didn't, they become weed -infested yards and rat -infested homes? Haven't all the flowers gone? I have been directly connected with young people for a decade. I have worked side by side with them teaching them to become journalists, They,have come and gone like ships in the night, 1 have yet to meet one who could put up with the conditions on a commune for any length of time. Oh . they talk blindly abcut digging a big garden and growing their own thing and most of theiri-wouldn't know one end of amanure fork from a marijuana weed. This generation of kids is so pampered, so used to the good things of life they wouldn't last two days in a hog barn. They are brought up with instant everything; instant meals, instant recreation, instant educationinstant marriage and instant divorce. They have been coddled and cajoled for so long they don t know the meaning of • initiative or hard work. Work is a dirty word. What is another definition of an agrominium? • Ten lots With a couple of untrained horses roaming a weed -filled pasture. Let a group of city people or urbanites ... . move to 10 acres in the co ntry and before you. can say • agriculture, there will be 10 families complaining about ' manure odors from neighboring farms. They'll be complaining about tractor noises at night, corn-dr)ing operations in the morning and smells at noon. It is beyond my comprehension ho W the minister of agriculture, y, ho is supposed to understand farniets and farming can possibly explain why he would even entertain the idea of licensing an agrominum any -v. -here in Ontario. The original rumor was that the licence was going to be issued for an agrominum in West Gwillembury Township in Simcoe County, The agminister has denied that location. I don't give a damn where it is supposed to be, It just won t work, Legitimate farmers have enough problems without contending with extra part-time farmers. I, personall,v, think Bill Newman really doesn't like the idea any better than 1 do. At one time, he denied the government was considering issuing a licence. But he has since admitted that he has agreed to a pilot project. What happened? Did his cabinet colleagues persuade hirn? Was there a developer somewhere in the province eloquent enough to get him to give it a try? 1 own only two acres of land. I have trouble keeping two smart horses inside the fences. I have trouble with snowmachine operators who think nothing of careening across my property with a disdainfulwave of the hand. Last winter, my fence was broken twice by these fools on their noisemakers. 1 have heard that a standard piece of equipment for cross-country snowinobilers is a tough set of wirecutters, I believe- it. Can you imagine a few hundred of these agrominiums scattered across Ontario full of big families and weekend cowboys? What will they do to serious farmers who have enough trouble making` a living now? The time to stop such nonsense is before it gets out of hand Every farm organization and every conservationist and every one concerned about farmland should tell the government in no uncertain „term's that the idea of agrominiums has been tried and found wanting.. _Surely, we can learn something from the past. The-onlY successul commune in the last 50 years as Findhorn and they had God on their side. • ventilation course Perth County News BY ALAN w. scan AG. REPRESENTATIVE Agricultural Engineer, Norman Bird is repeating the Ventilation Short Course which was held one year ago. This program starts at 1:30 p.m on Monday, March 12th at the Mitchell Town Hall and continues each Monday afternoon during. March. Participants will be able to study, in detail the factors that must be considered in properly ventilating a farm building. In addition, they will be able to use a Guelph computer program to analyse their own particular ven- tilation problem. Interested parties can register by calling our office at 271-0280. • FEDERATION TO MEET WITH MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT The Perth County Fedeiation of Agriculture will meet at 8:30 p.m. at the Mitchell Town Hall on Thursday, March lst. The Mall display' is one item on • the agenda. It's scheduled for the east end Mall • at Stratford during the dates of March 8th, 9th, and 10th. Plans will also be discussed iatfo the meeting with the embers of parliament on -urday, March 31st. Any- one with problems that should be presented to the members is welcome to at- tend the meeting or pass the • information on to a director. WHITE BEAN MEEIING A bean program is planned for the •eter Community Centre \pn/ Wednesday, March 7th from 9:30 to 3:30 p.m The agenda includes production tips on varieties, planting date, crop rotation, .N rates and hilling. There will be other presentations on anthranose, breeding new varieties, root rot and marketing. New lingo • Ontariot Ministry of 'Agriculture & Food The 49th Meeting of Met ric Commission Canada held recently in Ottawa, con- sidered rnetrage- to be a Awl suitable replacement for = = footage and yardage and a- • perhaps even mileage in the English language. The .4 • equivalent of the French word “millage" in the - French language is of course •= "kilometrage". Mileage has become ob- solete in Canada, since con- • = version of road signs -throughout the country over a a year ago. Signs in metres and kilometres accentuate the need for a new word to expreSs odometer readings and distance or length. Kilo- • . metrage and Metrage may catch on in sectors such as road and urban transpOrt, electric power, constructinnt real estate, land surveying and town planning, the car • pet industry, forestry, the film industry, consumer and retail tradeS. Both • rage" and "metrage" are used in the Prench language in most of these, sectors. 413 Hibernia St., Stratford 271-0280 R. K. PECK APPLIANCES "lit the he-arrof downtown Varna" VACUUM CLEANERS - szile5and seri. Of 1110Si Makes., • - • CB RADIOS AND ACCESSORIES * • SPEED QUEEN APPLIANCES . * MOFFAT APPLIANCES * SMOKE SENSORS • ' * INSECT LIGHTS •AND FLY KILLING UNITS. * HAND CRAFTED GIFTS • , • Varna, Ont. • 482-7103 Accounting Income Tax • rt, be expensive need • Well come to you • • Friendly service .Topa ea ra 6 wyou don't like doingbo6okawerwill e°nftereme"nce We come out for Tax Department Audits DOC M •• Coilsti ants !? PA • BUSINESS • A RAGE SIZED CORPORATIONS ,PLEASE CALL CEDRIC WEDEMIRE • 455.2199 ANY TIME • • • . ; . . . . IDRYWALL KNOWN FOR HIGH QUALITY Peter Bakos Drywall COMPLETE DRYWALL SERVICE 527-1398 or 527-0606 COOP Spring! NFORMATION MEETINGI = .•.THURSDAY, at ExeterL.gion •-:. 15 all Starts at 1130 a.m. (Meal at 11:45 sharp) \ Speakers from Ciba Giegy, Dual, UCO and OMAF • = BY MIKE MILLER Misdate, Ag. Rep. Any discussion on .soil fertility begins with the principles of •the soil test. Fertility trials are carried out. regularly on farms and re - •search stations in -Ontario. The results of these trials are used to calculate the nutri- ents that must be added to • the nutrients in the soil in order to produce the most economic yield. In theory, more nutrients might pro, duce a greater yield but the cost of the extra fertilizer would he greater than the value of the extra crop, The soil is tested for phosphorus and potash, Each year phosphorus and potash are released from the soil particles and can be used for crop production,. The soil test measures these nutri- ents. The soil is also tested for PH or lithe content and magnesium. Most Huron soils do not need lime, and Try bulk blend At last week's fertilizer update meeting, U.C.O. specialist, Jim Hodgins, pointed out why bulk blend analyses are attracting an increasing number of farm- ers. A ton of 10-10-10 fertil- izer supplies 200 lbs. of actual nitrogen, 200 lbs. of actual phosphorus and 200 lbs. of actual potash. These nutrients can be supplied by mixing 445 lbs. of 18 46 0, 275 lbs. 46-0-0 and 340 lbs, of 0-0-60. This mix of 1,060 lbs. magnesium 'Salue$ are also high even though it appeata that high Soil vahies Of magnesium do not insure adequate values in crops. The soil is not tested for nitrogen because the test is ,expensive and time consign, ing and the nitrogen content of a soil changes over winter. Nitrogen is recommended - according to the crop to be grown. For a crop like corn. the farmer has the option of • increasingthe nitrogen • recommendation if his exper- ience indicates that his land will produce more than 100 bus/acre! 100 lbs, of actual Nl could be considered sufficient for a lop bus-, crop but one would apply an extra 10 lbs, of N if his experience indicated that • his yield potential was 110 bus. The "N" recommen- dation would be increased up to another 30 lbs. if the nitrogen was broadcast be- fore planting in early May as • there are greater losses with • fertilizer has the same nutrient con- tent as 2,000 lbs. of 10-10-10, The difference in weight is a limestone filler which really adds little nutritive value. The smaller amount of material results in lower spreading costs, lower nutri- ent costs and faster service from the dealer's standpoint. There is also the added advantage of being able to prepare a special mix that isn't available as a standard analysis. ' • H &-N D4IRY, SYSTENIS LTD Sales, Service d'Installation of ' Ira. pipelines & ..rralci, milking parlours on, La‘ift R R4 00/ -0V03 VVAITON • R()NNENBERG Insurance Agency • Auto - Fire - Casualty -Life BRUSSELS 887-6663 • Murray Siddall • • • -•••-••• • MONKTON 347-2241 Glen Ronnenberg 347-2241 INCOME TAX PREPARED BOOKKEEPING SERVICE Farmers — Businessmen -- Individuals —At Reasonable Rates -- File early to ayoid the Rush and delay in refunds [25 years Experience] • Maitland Valley Financial Consultants Ltd. oitosiotinei.siemi!“40“4iereelivooneirleturwiterinoritisantiina itenossirsout;ei Let us.knoiiifyoutre-cothingbyMarch7. by &Div 2354081 • • tittiltitattatilal to come • and see us at the FARM SHOW London Feb. 27 to Mar.2: McGavins Farm Equipment Ltd in Walton strviiksAvicaute Since 106 SEAFORTIi BRUSSELS 527.0245 887.6365 early application. The test result coming .backfrom the lab. is adjusted to take into consideration plowed sod' or •manure ap- pliedto the field. A good 'A legume sod can supply the 1,00 Om of nitrogen required •tit grow a corn crop. 2 toes per 4Cre of poultry manuie is equivalent to 9 tons per acre, Of hog manure. '1 nese amounts of manure have a: nitrogen rating of 25 lbs. of actual nitrogen per acre when applied in the fall and, winter. The figure increases to SQ lbs, with spring appli- cation and to 60 it manure, is applied in the spring and immediately covered with soil. Cattle manure is similar in nitrogen and phosphorus content but has three times (80 lbs./ac.) the potash content of hog and poultry manure. The nutri- ents contained in manure or sot; can replace nutrients that would otherwise have to, he supplied by commerciat fertilizer. These adjustments are made automatically on the soil report. The soil test recommen- dation can be inaccurate if • Ineorted.r 1111Torn/IMMA iSSUp plied by the farmer or if the sample , is not representatiVe of the field. It's vital; to indicate what manure is tobe applied, whether or not sod has preceded the crop and to state clearly the crop to be • grown. When sampling, it's important •that several samples be taken for large fields. It's been demon- strated that a field sampled in its entirety may need nutrients, Large fields sampled in just a few places may not be representative of' the field. The soil test can be used to determine the extent that the soil is storing phosphorus and potash, The soil test values indicate whether the soil is low, medium, high, • • very high or excessive. Thus the farmer should test • periodically to check the level of these nutrients. Excess levels of potash can tie up magnesium and actually • lower yields, • There's a great deal more that could be said on the test. The point we're making this. time i:stehdatythteh:omilaiiisa:et:Tili conjunction with his know - Bean program piannea A bean program is planned for the Exeter Community Centre, 'on Wednesday, March 7th from 9:30 to 3:30 p,m. The agenda includes production tips on varieties, planting ilate, crop rotation, N rates. and billing. There will be other presentations on anthracnose, breeding. new varieties, root rot and marketing.' ledge of his farm. It has limitations and often they are man made. The test needs to be better understood by those using it and that's the reason for • the aforegoing discussion. • Prove to yourself which is best Three popular brands of high yielding seed corn /0 -choose from Pioneer - ...Funks Asgrow Good varieties available 1 MILTON J. DIETZ,. Purina"Chovvs —Sanitation Products — Seed Corn — Provimi Feeds Ventilation (Wholesale & Retail) — Pesticides -- Spraying EquiPment. Seaforth, Ont. - Phone 519-527-0608 How • , • A man who went broke in business said: "1 blame it alt on advertising." His friend replied: "What do you mean? You never did any advertising." ".11 know;" the man answered, ,"But my competitors did!" ONLY .AMINTCAN AFFORD - NOT TO ADVERTISE • 011e ittren • ,xposnor • soled IMO, iCrying the Community First SEAFORM 527-0240