The Lucknow Sentinel, 1993-03-17, Page 27•
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One farmer who won't trade the family farm
by Tim Cumming
At farm meetings and over the
kitchen table local residents regular-
ly debate the future of the family
farm.
• There was a day when the family
farm was just about all most fam-
ilies knew. Today, many children
know the farm life only from pic-
ture books .or from their grandpar-
ents.
But despite economic adversity
and indifferent governments some
people wouldn't trade the family
farm ,,for anything. Just ask Tom
Ryan.
Tom was asked for this Farm
Progress '93 edition to let us take a
peek at his daily routine and we
asked him to share a little of his
farming experience:
Tom is a Huron County dairy
farmer who says, despite the chal-
lenges, he plans to carry on.. His
dairy operation, in which he cur-
rently milks. about .36 cows, is
smaller than some and larger than
others. It's safe to say he doesn't
run the biggest operation in the area
or own the most livestock. Buthe
does capture the spirit of the family
farmer.
"Farming sure has its share of
problems right now," Tom agrees.
"(But) as far as I'm concerned it's
still really good...it keeps me
going.".
Tom, who lives about three con-
cessions north of St. Columban,
works full-time on the farm. There
is a• long Ryan tradition of farming.
The Ryan family's history on the
farm dates back 100 years or more.
The Ryans originally came from
Ireland in the 1800's, although they
originally.. settled at a different
location. Tom acknowledges he has
a long history of farming to live up
to.
"There's probably a little bit of
pressure to keep it going when it's
been in the family for generations."
Tom purchased the farm in 1979
when it had pigs but switched it
over to a dairy operation in 1982
and has been milking cows ever
since.
He does see some hurdles for
dairy farmers in the future. On top
of the uncertainties of the GATT
there are impending cuts of govern-
ment subsidies and the North
American Free Trade Agreement.
Dairy farming also seems to be a
victim of its own success. As dairy
quotas are cut and demand for
quota increases the price of main-
taining one's share in the dairy
industry goes up.
"That high quota price is getting
.to be more of4a problem all the
time," he said. "With quota cuts
you have to buy a little just to stay
here you aie W Tri—to .uy a
little all the time."
As numerous other costs loom on
the horizon it sometimes seems like
an overwhelming',;eitpen,sc,•,
"It reaches a point where you
think there are too many other
things you have to do," 'observes
Tom.
Tom Ryan, of McKillop Township, feeds his cows at his dairy
operation. Tom is just one of many people who continue to
work hard in agriculture because of a belief In the fanlly farm.
(Tim Cumming photos).
One of the changes the McKillop -
township farmer has seen in agri-
culture is a decrease in the number
of farms in' his area.
"Count the number of full-time
people on the farms, there are v ry
few left anymore," he said. 1 -le
worries that many farmers might
work hard and devote their best
years to the farm yet not get ahead.
Different farm commodity groups
depend on each other, said Tom.
For instance, dairy farmers art:
major purchasers of feed grains.
"If supply management getshurt
it's going to hurt the other indus-
tries too," he said. "It's not good to
see your neighbour shutting down
or losing their farms or giving up
on it."
Although dairy producers may.
benefit from ' the low feed prices
which hurt grain producers, Tom
would like to see better prices and
returns for all farmers.
"We'd like to see our neighbours
do well,. that would improve
farming," he said. "The status quo
is not good for us, it's not gq,od for
them."
Cows produce better when they
have a routine and Tom's daily
routine operates like clockwork. He
begins at about a quarter to six in
the morning when he goes to the
barn to milk the cows.
The milking chores are aided with
four milking machine units and
indicators •which flash when ' the
cow is done.
After milking and feeding there is
time for a little breakfast at about
ten to eight. By 8:30 Tom is busy
with cleaning and bedding for the
animals until about 10:00. Then, if
there's time, he can probably be
found climbing the silo, clearing out
his driveway, paying some bills in
town' or `fixing machinery around
e-fanrl
•turn to page 13
Brendan Ryan, 3,
lends a helping hand.
Farm Progress '93 --Page 11
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