The Citizen, 1988-07-13, Page 22PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 1988.
Cooler days bring little relief for stricken crops
The slightly cooler weather of
the past few days has brought a bit
of relief to Huron County’s
drought-stricken crops, but not
enough to put them out of danger.
“The crops are just sitting there,
enjoying the cooler weather like all
therestofus,’’saidOMAFcrop
specialist Brian Hall at Clinton.
It’s already too late to save much
Farm
“I’m sure we could win this race if we could only figure out how to get
this baby to go,” seems to be the comment of a puzzled driver and his
pit crew as they study the machine’s complicated control panel prior to
the start of the Hay-Bale Race at the Farmers’ Olympics on Saturday,
held as part of the day long Hallett Days celebration in Londesboro.
Nobody spilled their load of bales, despite some precarious loading.
of the spring cereal crop, Mr. Hall
says, with most experts predicting
up to 50 per cent yield loss because
of the lack of moisture at the critical
time when the heads were filling.
Some farmers have already cut
tfieir oats and barley as silage or
hay, which will further reduce the
final production figures.
The yield of sweet corn for table
use and canning is also expected to
be down considerably, since the
time for rain to do it any good has
pretty well passed, but field corn
could still make a comeback - if we
get rain in the very near future.
“It’s just entering the tassling
stage now,’’ Mr. Hall said, “and if
it starts to pollinate before it rains
we can look for a substantial yield
loss there as well.”
The frost that hit many parts of
the county on June 28 killed off
about five per cent of the corn in
fields county-wide, while much of
the crop that was only touched by
the minus three degree tempera
tures could still come back, if the
weather co-operates.
The white beans are still in a
critical position, but the soys
continue to hold their own at least
those that have germinated.
Again, several inches of rain is
critical to their survival unless the
crop loss is to be as drastic as it was
in the fall of 1986, when a large
percentage of the beans rotted in
the fields as a result of six weeks of
torrential rain.
Pasture has dried up over most
of the county, with most cattlemen
already feeding hay, which could
present a problem if the second cut
doesn’t materialize because of the
drought. Thefirstcut, although
late, was heavy and of good
quality, but “there could be some
scrambling’ ’ for hay later this year
unless things pick up soon, Mr.
Hall says, adding that in some
parts of the county the price of hay
has almost doubled already.
Ontario agriculture minister
Jack Riddell, on a tour of parched
farmland in southern Kent County
and parts of Perth, including a farm
near Monkton, hasn’t offered
Ontariofarmers any help, saying it
is still too early to declare the
situation a disaster. Some farmers
are pressing for aid equal to that
approved for prairie farmers suf
fering the worst drought since the
“Dirty Thirties,” and while both
Mr. Riddell and his federal
counterpart, John Wise, are keep-
inganeye on the Ontario situation,
neither has made any commitment
as yet.
‘ ‘ If you people choose not to buy
crop insurance, you have to be
prepared to live with the conse
quences,” Mr. Riddell said.
“And there is still a chance for a
lot (of the crops) to come back,’’
Mr. Hall concluded. “One good
rain and all our troubles will be
over.”
C.A.M.C.
- Bookkeeping
- Income Tax Preparation
- Experienced Staff
Wednesdays 9-12; 1 -5
Alan Campbell
328 Josephine Street
WINGHAM
357-3687
or 887-9451
We re perfectly located
to handle your crop
Brussels Stockyards
Choice beef $2 higher Friday
The market at Brussels Stock-
yards on Friday traded $2 higher on
choice steers and heifers with the
overfinished cattle being sharply
discounted. Cows traded $2 higher
and pigs sold under pressure.
There were 385 cattle, 523 pigs and
198 sheep, lambs and goats on
offer.
Choice steers brought $87 to $89
with sales to $92; good steers sold
at $83 to $86.
A Limousin steer consigned by
Geo. UnderwoodFarmsofRR 1,
Wingham, weighing 1180 lbs.,
sold for $92 and was purchased by
Schoeman Meats of Jerseyville,
while their total offering of 36
steers averaged 1328 lb., and sold
for an overall price of $86.48.
A steer consigned by Jack Shiell
of RR 3, Wingham, weighing 1300
lbs., sold for $90.50, with his total
lot of 17 steers, averaging 1242
lbs., selling for an average price of
$88.51.
Fourteen steers consigned by
Maple Emblem Farms of RR 1,
Dungannon, averaging 1182 lbs.,
sold for an overall price of $88.59,
with sales to $89.25. Three steers
consigned by Frank Dolmage of RR
1, Seaforth, averaging 1117 lbs.,
sold for $89. A gold steer consigned
by Gary McCutcheon of RR 4,
Brussels, weighing 1120 lb., sold
for $88.
Six steers consigned by Stam
Farms of RR 4, Kincardine,
averaging 1322 lbs., sold for an
overall price of $85.42 with sales to
$87.50.
Choice exotic heifers sold at $87
to $90, with sales to $90.25; good
heifers brought $82 to $86.
A white heifer consigned by
GeorgeBlakeofRR2, Brussels,
weighing 1110 lb., sold for $90.25
and was purchased by Norwich
Packers of Norwich, while his total
offering of 10 heifers averaged
1164 lbs., and sold for an overall
price of $84.92.
A heifer consigned by Glen
Sellers of RR 2, Bluevale, weighing
1160lbs., sold for $90 with his total
lot of six heifers averaging 1215
lbs., selling for an average price of
$89.18.
Two black white-faced heifers
consigned by Glen Johnston of RR
2, Bluevale, averaging 1015 lbs.,
sold for $90 with his total offering of
16 heifers, averaging 1029 lbs.,
selling for an overall price of
$86.97.
A heifer consigned by Paul
Gowing ofRR 2, Bluevale, weigh
ing 1190 lbs., sold for $89.25. Two
heifers consigned by Clarence
McCutcheon of RR 4, Brussels,
averaging 1075 lbs., sold for
$88.60. Three heifers consigned by
Antone Paschier of Blyth, averag
ing 1070 lbs., sold for an average
price of $85.55 with sales to $88.25.
Choice cows traded at $56 to $60;
good cows went for $52 to $55; and
canners and cutters brought $48 to
$51.
Thirty to 40 lb. pigs traded to a
high of 54 cents per lb.; 40 to 50 lb.
pigs traded to a high of 56 cents per
lb.; 50 to 60 lb. pigs traded to a high
of 51 cents per lb.; 60 to 70 lb. pigs
traded to a high of 52 cents per lb.;
and70to801b. pigs traded toahigh
of 54 cents per lb.
Light lambs traded to a high of
$1.10 per lb.; medium lambs
traded to a high of 97 cents per lb.;
and heavy lambs traded to a high of
83.5 cents per lb.
When it’s time to market your crop, you’ll find all
the services, facilities and expertise you need are
close-by at Cook’s. We go out of our way to give you
the best possible prices, terms and options to make
all your hard work pay off.
When it’s time to deliver your crop make Cook’s
your destination.
Division of Gerbro (1987) Inc.
Where you con trade
with confidence"
Hensail Centralia Kirkton Walton
262-2410 228-6661 229-8986 527-1540
887-9261
1988 Crop - One Stop
' 5SCE -v if pi ‘H'PiA\~r; r
cl'Jj ~ ’< Pi.rr r»r r y_p;
□.£>33
• Wheat
Red or White,
Winter or Spring
• Canola
• Oats
• Barley
Twin County Grain Elevator
R.R.3. Brussels, Ont.
Brussels Huron Cty.• Newry• Henfryn “
Rd. #16 Twin W
| County
N Grain Elevators—
rerrn viy. nu.
• Silver Corners
Phone: (519)Manager: Glenn Thorpe