The Citizen, 2008-05-01, Page 15THE CITIZEN. THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2008. PAGE 15.
Mother’s Day weekend, May 10
and 11, Meeting Place Organic Farm
near Lucknow, will be holding its
annual open house.
The farm is celebrating its 35th
anniversary in 2008. It is a
diversified family farm which has
been organic since 1975. It is owned
and operated by Tony and Fran
McQuail who were married in the
orchard on the farm the year they
decided to farm organically.
The open house is a chance to
learn about organic gardening and
farming and enjoy spring on the
farm. There are opportunities to see
young lambs in the barn.
A horse-drawn wagon ride takes
visitors to the woodlot where
trillium and dog -tooth violets are
often a carpet of blooms on the
forest floor.
The greenhouse is open and there
are heirloom tomato varieties and
other vegetable and culinary herbs
which can be taken home.
This year the open house will run
from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on the
Saturday, May 10 and from 2 - 4
p.m. on the Sunday, May 11.
As a new effort to improve
environmental sustainability the
McQuails are encouraging ride
sharing to come to the open
house.
If people want to share a ride to
the open house they can contact the
McQuails at 519-528-2493 and they
will try to link people coming from
the same area to let them ride
together and reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.
Living the life
Fran McQuail shows some of the heirloom tomatoes at their greenhouse, right, while Tony
McQuail tours visitors around the farm on a horse-drawn wagon. (Photos submitted)
Open house at local organic farm in May
The Huron County Health Unit is
reminding people about the free well
water sampling service.
“Wells in low-lying, flood-prone
areas are at risk from contamination
by surface runoff from rain,” says
Public health inspector Bob Worsell.
Dug wells, well pits and well casings
without a proper seal are most at
risk.
Well water that has an odour, is
discoloured or has an off taste
should not be consumed or used for
food preparation. Even water that is
clear and odourless may be
unsafe.
If unsure about the safety of the
water supply, use bottled water or
water that has been boiled for at least
one minute for drinking and food
preparation until tests confirm a safe
water supply.
The health unit recommends
sampling wells at least three times
per year. Sample more often after
heavy rainfall and flooding.
Seasonal residents who have private
wells are also reminded to sample
their water before opening for the
summer season.
Only by regular sampling for
bacteria can people be sure their well
water is safe.
Water sample kits may be picked
up and dropped off at the Huron
County Health Unit near Clinton,
South Huron Hospital in Exeter,
Seaforth Hospital, Wingham
Hospital, and the Huron County
Court House in Goderich.
“Now is a good time to learn about
your well and start regular
sampling,” says Worsell. “It’s the
first step in protecting your drinking
water and the groundwater we all
share.”
For a free copy of the kit Keeping
Your Well Water Safe to Drink, or if
you have any questions, contact the
health unit at 519-482-3416 or toll-
free 1-877-837-6143.
Ask to speak to a public health
inspector.
You can also go to the website:
www.huroncounty.ca/health for
more information.
TUESDAYS
9:00 a.m.
Fed Cattle, Bulls & Cows
THURSDAYS
8:00 a.m.Drop Calves
10:00 a.m.Veal
11:30 a.m.Pigs, Lambs, Goats & Sheep
FRIDAYS
10:00 a.m. Stockers
Call us 519-887-6461
Visit our webpage at:
www.brusselslivestock.ca
email us at:
info@brusselslivestock.ca
BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK
Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd.
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SPRING SALE
VACCINATED
CALVES & YEARLINGS
Monday, May 5
10:00 am
Keep wells safe during spring rains
By Geri Kamenz, President
Ontario Federation of
Agriculture
Our provincial government has
been actively promoting locally-
grown food to the people of Ontario
for more than a year, and to help
show us the professional nature of
its campaign it brought in some
outsiders to show off their efforts.
The Premier’s Summit on Agri-
Food, the fourth annual event hosted
by Premier Dalton McGuinty,
featured presentations by
agricultural representatives from the
state governments of New Jersey
and California. These people
proudly detailed their respective
campaigns to promote their locally
grown food products and encourage
resident involvement.
A broad-based contingent of
people from Ontario’s agri-food
sector engaged in discussions
looking at everything from future
markets for Ontario’s producers and
food companies, the best ways to
tailor local production to meet local
demands, and innovative ways to
bring local producers together with
local consumers.
In an attempt to identify future
directions, the meeting also featured
a session to examine opportunities
and challenges ahead for the buy-
local community – both producers
and consumers.
Premier McGuinty and our
Minister of Agriculture, Food and
Rural Affairs, the Hon. Leona
Dombrowsky, have been successful
in recent years at introducing new
initiatives to help producers identify
and get involved in marketing their
produce locally. The government’s
promotional efforts for the buy-local
strategy have gone a long way to
encourage consumers to seek out
and buy locally grown food.
It was encouraging to hear
Premier McGuinty tell summit
participants that his government will
be spending $56 million over four
years to promote Ontario food
products including $4 million to
improve farmers’ markets across the
province.
The Premier told the summit
“everyone has a role to play to
support Ontario agriculture. If we
buy Ontario, everyone wins, because
we are supporting our farmers, and
processors, our rural economy, our
environment, and ourselves with
healthy food from here at home.”
Minister Dombrowsky, after
hearing the presentations and
discussions at the summit, said “we
are energized by everybody’s
enthusiasm and are ready to build on
our efforts to market Ontario’s fresh,
high-quality foods.”
The Ontario Federation of
Agriculture is pleased with the
Premier’s interest in our industry
and appreciates the work being done
by the provincial government to
make Ontario agriculture a greater
success. Minister Dombrowsky has
become a willing partner as OFA
introduces initiatives needing
government support. One of the
more recent efforts was with the
introduction of the Risk
Management Program.
When OFA and its commodity
partners settled on the design for the
program, Minister Dombrowsky
assigned her staff to put the finishing
touches in place and the program
was implemented.
It’s this kind of joint effort Ontario
agriculture needs between its
stakeholders and the government.
Events like the Premier’s Summit on
Agri-Food brings all interested
players together to identify what is
needed to make Ontario agriculture
successful now and into the future.
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