The Rural Voice, 1985-07, Page 15Ruth Hill and daughter, Marilee, prepare tomato plants for their market
gardening enterprise on their farm near Owen Sound.
price is down to 75 cents a dozen
compared to the dollar a dozen
received in August.
Hill points out that anyone can set
up a produce stand as long as he sells
his own produce on his own property.
Signs advertising the produce cannot
be placed any farther than 250 feet
from the stand. "That's a pretty
short distance for people to make up
their minds if they're going to stop or
not," Hill says. He has placed signs
at both corners of his property along
the highway, which gives motorists
time to stop.
There are minimal standards for
selling produce at a roadside stand,
according to Hill. Corn has to be
packed by the cob, not by weight, and
must have at least five inches of corn
on the cob. The Hills often sell lower
quality cobs for half price, usually to
farm people who understand that the
cobs are still edible. "One lady
wanted seconds and I explained about
the bird damage, not being filled right
to the end, or that maybe there's a
worm. Everything else was all right
until I came to the part about the
worm. I guess she didn't want to eat a
worm," Hill says.
"Sweet corn is really a quality
thing," Hill says. "If you haven't got
quality, people won't buy. You can
spend a lot of money on advertising,
but word of mouth is really the best
advertising. Customers tell their
friends."
Hill hadn't really planned to
become involved in the market
gardening aspect of farming, and it
was just a sideline operation until he
expanded his acreage last year. His
father used to plant five acres of
potatoes which he sold to restaurants,
and his grandfather sold raspberries,
currants, and strawberries. The sandy
soil is well suited to fruits and
vegetables.
Hill plants about 18,000 kernels of
sweet corn to the care and estimates
that he has a return of about
1,000 -dozen cobs from an acre. "It's
far better than any field crop you can
grow, but the expenses are a lot
higher. Herbicides and insecticides
cost the same, but the seed costs are
higher."
Don Hill likes market gardening
and farming in general, but he'd like
the farming life even better if he
could afford a new car. ❑
4314.310.
USED TRACTORS
A.C. 5050 w/Idr., front wheel
drive S14,000
A.C.7580 $35,000
Leyland 270 S 4,500
A.C. 190 CT w/cab S 8,500
A.C. 7020 w/cab & air $24,000
A.C. 7080 S33,000
Case 1537 skid steer Idr S 4,500
A.C. 6060 FWD
A.C. 185
A.C. 200 w/cab
USD COMBINES
Cockshutt 535 wlcab 13' header$ 7,500
J.D.6600 $16,000
M.F.300 S 6,500
Gleaner N5 w120' flex header &
6 row c.h $80,000
Gleaner G w/p.u. head $16,000
Gleaner LII S55,000
M.F.410 S 7,500
White 8900 w/630 c.h. & 15' flex head.
Gleaner F2 w/pickup head & 430
cornhead $40,000
Gleaner M2
T.P D. Waiver till Sept. 1185
on all Used Combines
HACKETT
A FARM H4
EQUIPMENT
VERSATILE
A IDEUT: NEW IDEA
L10.9
•LL I!
Lucknow, 519-529-7914
Theatre Passe Muraille Original Cast in
THE FARM
��
QW
ii•
f1
Goderich
ti
in the
Twp. Shed,
Story of
Goderich
ownship
Farm Life
in the '70s
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III); 1-5-0 19tt;
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Holmesville
JULY 11-19
Evenings at 8 p.m.,
Matinees 2 p.m., July 14-17
ADULTS $8.00 CHILDREN $3.00
Tickets available at
• HOLMFSVILLF: GENERAL. STORE. 482-5207
482-9732
• CAMPBELL'S MEN'S WEAR
Clinton
• BAYFIELD VILLAGE MARKET
Sean Centre
• BOB & BETTY'S VARIETY
Searorth
• BLYTH SUMMER FESTIVAL.
• PH11. MAIN HARDWARE.
Goderich
Or write: The Farm Show -
Bon 730. Clinton, Ont., NUM 11.0
565-2650
527-1680
523-9300
524-9671
JULY 1985 13