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Village Squire, 1977-09, Page 23propped from the back by a post or by another leaning rail. ' When one of the beasts leaned against it, it would partly fall over and the whole herd would leap the fence and take off for the neighbours. If you have ever rounded up cattle that didn't want to be rounded up, especially on a hot summer's day, you will know what I am talking about. 1t you haven't there is no way I can express the frustration and hate that goes into this exercise. That made us turn our thoughts to pigs. It may not be as glamorous as beef cattle, but it made us more or less unusual hobby farmers, for a real hobby farmer must have a horse or horses and beef cattle and we had neither. So we made a pig pen in ale empty barn, strung an electric fence around a piece of oasture and I sallied forth on a htwino expedition for sows. I looked as professionally as possible at, the breeder and bought three pregnant sows. One was due to farrow in April, one in May and ,he last one in June. .vuat was more logical "than to name them after those months? These girls had a whale of a time. They were well fed with a commercial sow feed and got all the table scraps. They soon became as tame as puppies and the children took rides on their broad backs. Our whole family liked the pigs, so we decided to keep all the girl pigs born, for sows and sell all the boar pigs. So the next year we had 20 sows and still a year later it had increased to 40. That was all that the old barn could handle and even so, it was so full that only sows with little nursing pigs could be kept inside, while the rest had to remain on pasture year round, with only a shelter from rain and wind. It became most unsatisfactory, for there was really not enough room for the piggies weaned from their mothers. At that time Toni and I had a serious talk and we decided that we needed a more modern barn. I went to the Farm Credit Corporation for a loan and I have been in their debt ever since. We could get a loan for a sow barn if I quit my job and became a full-time farmer. That was quite a problem. I had a steady job with good seniority as a welder and exchanging this for the uncertainty of farming with the continuous gamble on what the price of the product would be and hence our income, called for complete agreement between Toni and I. The desire to be independent won and we have never looked back and regretted our decision. We took out a loan for a sow barn and decided to build the barn ourselves. After all, I had been a cabinet maker at some time in my life and what is the difference in building a dresser or a barn. Plans were obtained from the University of Guelph. I scrounged the area for the most economical building materials. I was still working in the factory until the last moment and requested and got, steady nightshift. The whole family pitched in. You should have seen our 13 and 14 year old girls driving nails in the rafter plates. We did everything ourselves. but the concrete floor. The roofing, the siding, the plumbing, the wiring and the building of pens. We took all the stalls and pens out of the old log barn and used it to shelter the dry sows. Now we weren't hobby farmers any more and costs and prices became a matter of survival. We increased our sow herd to 90, and because we had been quality conscious from the beginning, we could always sell our weaned pigs to private customers at a premium. The capital value of the farm had increased considerably in the five years we lived there, mainly because of the upgrading of house and buildings and when we were offered a really good price for the place, we decided to sell, but remain in farming. So we bought our present farm near Blyth, where we finish the pigs ourselves to market weight and where we grow most of our own feed. Last year 1 was prepared to sell the farm and go back to hobby farming, but at the last moment, my daughter, who helped build that barn 12 years ago, and her husband, said that they would be interested in continuing on the farm. Now Bob does the hard work and I have still become a sort of hobby farmer. That is the reason that you now know about my farming experiences, for it leaves me time to tell you about it. Smith's Market Square The centre for family shopping in Listowel, with over 30,000 feet of selling space for your convenience and selection Smith's Foodmaster !RED WHITE ieee E*e•EE • SMITH'S MARKET SQUARE 4- II THE LARGEST INDEPENDENT SUPERMARKET IN SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO. •lunch counter •in store bakery 'gigantic fruit and vegetable department VISIT OUR DELI •cooked fresh meats, only the best grades of beef •150 feet of frozen food display •dairy department full of cheese and creamery products for a large selection of meats, salads, and cheeses WE CATER TO ALL TYPES OF PARTIES! WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARIES, HOUSE PARTIES, DANCES OR STAGS. We prepare the food, you serve it. Store Hours: Mon., Tues., Wed., Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 6 p.m., Thurs. and Fri. nights 1111 10 p.m. Listowel Home Furnishings to furnish every room of your home. Choose from our great selection of Colonial, Contemporary and Traditional Styles FULL LINE OF +I -Lt LtJirtt APPLIANCES TELEPHONE 291.4421 "Quality and value with confidence!" 155 Inkerman Street Listowel, Ontario VILLAGE SQUIRE/SEPTEMBER 1977, 21.