The Rural Voice, 2001-02, Page 54People
Ray Robertson heads Gay Lea
Foods board of directors
Ray Robertson of R.R.2,
Markdale, was elected Chairman of
the Board of Directors of Gay Lea
Foods Co -Operative Limited at the
company's December board meeting.
Robertson and his wife Evelyn
operate a mixed farm near Markdale.
He has served on the co-op's board
since 1989. Prior to that he served as
a delegate.
Robertson is joined on the board's
executive by Stuart Sleckle of
Zurich, first vice-chairman; Ralph
Dietrich of Mildmay, second vice-
chairman and immediate past -
president, Tom McGee.
John Hill, R.R.4, Owen Sound
was re-elected at the Zone 2 annual
meeting while John Ellison, R.R.3,
Listowel was re-elected at the Zone 1
meeting. Dietrich was elected for the
"at large" board position at the co-
op's annual meeting.
The co-op, which operates plants
in Teeswater, Guelph and North
Ray Robertson: Named Gay Lea
Foods chairman.
York, reported net earnings, before
distribution to members, of $3.6
million on sales of $232 million. The
company employs 398 people.0
Retelling stories of the Scottish past
brings fame to Huron Twp. resident
After 150 years, the stories of the
first Scottish settlers in Bruce County
and the rest of western Ontario have
generally faded from everyday
folklore, but a Huron Township
resident is gaining international fame
by giving them new attention.
Angus MacLeod's whole life has
been affected by the childhood
memories of the old Gaelic songs his
grandfather sang. As time went by he
began to delve more and more deeply
into the history of his people, finally
moving back to the original family
homestead in February 1998.
Now the musician has created a 64 -
minute CD of music and spoken
Gaelic that is accompanied by a 20 -
page booklet outlining the story of the
Highland Clearances.
MacLeod's great-grandfather was
among the 109 families from the Isle
of Lewis in the Scottish Hebrides who
were forced off the land in 1851 by
landowner James Matheson. They
were transported to Canada where
many eventually ended up
homesteading in Bruce County.
MacLeod's long research for the
album included an emotional return.
with his 82 -year-old father. to the Isle
of Lewis in 1996.
The CD, The Silent Ones: A Legacy
of the Highland Clearances, was
nominated for album of the year by the
popular American syndicated radio
program Celtic Connections, against
such famous groups as The Chieftains.
It also secured American distribution
with the same company that promotes
other Canadian groups such as the
Rankin Fancily, Rita MacNeil and
Natalie MacMaster.
Backing up MacLeod on the album
were 14 musicians including Richard
Knechtel, Paul Haslem and Sarah
Buckingham.
More information on the project is
available at www.torquil.net the
website of Torquil Productions.°
Grey man's
watering system
wins EFP award
A unique solution to pasture
watering problem has won a Grey
County cattleman $1,000 from the
Environmental Farm Plan.
Jim Couch, who keeps up to
100 registered Black Angus on 340
acres in the Big Head River area,
had a problem with providing water
to them year round. Couch had
fenced off all streams six years ago
when he got into the business and
used mechanical nose pumps to
bring water to the cattle during
warmer weather but they are unreli-
able in cold weather. Since his
cattle calf on pasture, starting in
February, a good water supply is
essential.
Even in warm weather, Couch
said, "You've got to be around
often to ensure the pumps are oper-
ating and haven't lost their prime".
So with the help of his father,
Jim Couch Sr., they designed a
system to capture water
overflowing from a neighbour's
spring -fed fish pond. Water from
the pond, 300 feet away, comes
onto Couch Acre Farm through a
township road culvert. A small
berm has been installed to direct
the water into a 15 -inch diameter
plastic tile which carries it into the
bottom of a two -by -two -by -three-
foot catchbasin. The water bubbles
up to the top of the catchbasin
before spilling out through a notch
in the upper rim and into a receiv-
ing ditch. Because the water is con-
stantly flowing, it doesn't freeze.
Wooden posts and planks allow
cattle only enough room to get their
heads in to drink. Concrete was
poured over gravel fill around the
tile and on the entry and exit ramps
to provide a stable, clean dry pad.
The waterer, plus a corral
system it's part of and the dry
crossing, cost about $1,800 in
materials and contracting costs. The
Couches' labour probably
amounted to another $850.0