The Rural Voice, 1978-07, Page 8years, she's learned how to handle most delivery problems and
can do quite a bit of her own doctoring.
Mrs. Pullen adjusts her breeding time so the bulk of her lambs
are ready for the ethnic market in the spring.
The fact southern Ontario sheep farmers are within range of
Montreal and Toronto means they have a dependable market for
milk -fed lambs, a traditional Easter dish for members of the
Greek community .
The farm has proved a boon to Mrs. Pullen. She didn't want to
go out to work when her tyro sons, now aged 8 and 11, were
young. Her sons, who now also have their own sheep, "got kind
of raised in the barn" since she brought them out to the farm in
back carriers from the time they were babies.
Farming has allowed her to spend more time with her family,
but also satisfies her need to do more than household chores -
"which bore me completely."
Mrs. Draper is also an enthusiastic believer in the potential of
her worm operation, "which seemed like such a wild idea" when
she started it.
The worms, which are hermaphrodites, reproduce at a
startling rate. Mrs. Draper says 1,000 red wrigglers, grown
under ideal conditions of watering and feeding, eat their own
body weight every day and will reproduce to 805 million worms
within two years.
'Mrs. Draper says Darwin called the worm "nature's original
plow" and this is one possibility that's exciting the farmer.
Right now Mrs. Draper is investigating the possibility of
marketing the soil castings left by the worms, since the growth
rate of house plants potted in the castings far outdistances that of
plants grown in commercial potting soil
A Journal
Mrs. Draper is also keeping a journal on her worm operation
and has already started a book on the joys and frustrations of the
business.
If Mrs. Daper's children didn't all love both the farm and
animals, and pitch in to help, she might not have been able to
mesh her career of writer -editor and beef farmer.
Even though she has to supplement her farm income, Mrs.
Draper says not making a lot of money is a small price to pay for
the advantages she has.
"It's worth a price to have the freedom and the land around
you," she says.
Greta de Vos is also satisfied with her life on the farm.
"I like it - it's challenging - but not something you get rich at
quickly," she says.
Although she didn't intend to farm, "I'm not just satisfied to
clean the house and raise kids ....life has to be something else
too."
As half owner, Mrs. de Vos doesn't feel she's working for
nothing.
Although milk quotas were reduced just shortly after they
went into the dairy operation, and things were "really rough" at
the start, now the couple are pleased they can estimate their
income ahead of time.
"With beef cattle, your market fluctuates so much," she says,
"but with a dairy operation, you know how much you're going to
make every month due to the quota."
What keeps the women in farming? The reasons are as
compex as each woman's own individual personality.
A woman on the farm is her own boss, she's out in the sun at
least part of the day, and usually she's in topnotch physical
condition.
Also, like farmers anywhere, she has to be flexible - to learn
how to put up with weather and governments, and red tape.
But, sometimes, when Bev Brown is shovelling manure, she
thinks, "Well, I'd really rather be doing this than sitting in the
office."
I!.iL1LL1st ATTENTION BEAN GROWERS
Let a Lilliston
Bean Combine
Make your
crop more
Profitable
for you
in 1978
See them
NOW
in stock at
C. G. FARM SUPPLY LIMITED
236-4934 236-4321
R.R. #3, ZURICH, ONTARIO
1k. 8 THE RURAL VOICE/JULY 1978.