The Rural Voice, 2000-06, Page 31
1
R.V.
Editor: Keith Roulston
editorial advisory committee:
Bev Hill, farmer, Huron County
Diane O'Shea, farmer, Middlesex Cty.
George Penfold, associate professor.
University of Guelph
Gerald Poechman, farmer. Bruce Cty.
contributing writers:
Gisele Ireland, Lisa Boonstoppel-
Pot, Bonnie Gropp, Ralph Pearce
Bob Reid, Mervyn Erb, Sandra
Orr, Carl L. Bedal, Janice Becker,
Andrew Grindlay, Sarah Caldwell
marketing & advertising sales manager:
Gerry Fortune
advertising representative:
Merle Gunby
production co-ordinator:
Joan Caldwell
advertising & editorial production:
Dianne Josling
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Behind the Scenes
So how about that weather?
The weather has always been a
topic of conversation whenever two
or more farmers get together —
weather is too crucial to the lives and
incomes of farmers not to be. But in
the last few years weather has
become even more newsworthy as
weather patterns seem to have
changed. Farmers are used to a year
of drought but three years in a row?
That seems a little more than
coincidence. Are we facing global
warming and consequent weather
changes? If so, what can farmers do
about it? We have an article this
month by Rod McRae, with co-
operation of the Maitland Valley
Conservation Authority, that suggests
some changes in management
western Ontario farmers should
consider to combat the changes the
environment seems to be delivering.
Also this month, while OMAFRA
county offices are now closed, some
of the faces we've been familiar with
are still toiling away in the new
Resource Centres in some of the
same buildings as before. In Clinton
and Stratford, for instance, there are
many familiar faces doing different
work. What are they up to? We
visited with some of them to find out.
Freelance writer Bob Reid reports
that with his heavy new respons-
ibilities are chair of Ontario Pork, the
most heavily -used piece of machinery
on Clare Schlegel's Perth County
farm is likely to be his telephone
answering machine. Considering
Schlegel also operates as part of a
small pork production loop and
operates four broiler barns, the new
job sounds like a handful. Reid met
with Schlegel and tells the story.
Twenty-five years can seem to fly
by, and yet so much can change. It
was 25 years ago this month that The
Rural Voice issued its first edition: a
slim tabloid newspaper. There were
few farm publication back then, even
if there were more farmers than
today. The idea was for a publication
to deal specifically with the issues of
western Ontario.
Over the years The Rural Voice
has dealt with many more issues and
introduced favourite personalities like
Gisele Ireland to a wider audience.
Sarah Caldwell talks to some of the
contributers about their memories in
creating the magazine over that
quarter century.0
Update
Telling rural stories
Twenty-five years ago when The Rural Voice began, there was still plenty of
coverage for farm and rural issues in the main stream media such as daily
newspapers, radio and .television. Professional theatre, however, was almost
unknown outside of Stratford and major cities.
Today farmers fret they've been forgotten by radio, television and the urban
newspapers but, ironically, live professional theatre is now plentiful and it telling
their stories. Ever since Paul Thompson and his actors created The Farm Show in
Clinton back in 1972 (and took it on tour across Canada, to the U.S. and
England), writers and actors have been discovering, and telling, the stories of the
countryside. This summer two area theatres will deal with rural issues.
In early June, Thompson returns to the Blyth Festival with his smash hit Death
of the Hired Man, about the last days of threshing on an Ontario farm (featured
in our September issue last year). The play, which turns the theatre into the
inside of a barn at threshing time, complete with noise, smell, heat and even dust,
bought back memories for many rural people (audience members often wondered
up onto the stage after the play to see the threshing machine) but also won raves
from urban critics. Ian Gillespie in his London Free Press review called it "A
work of theatre that explodes with moments of indelible power..."
Meanwhile Theatre Orangeville is presenting a new musical Harvest Moon
Rising, dealing with the strength of women in a time of financial crisis on the
farm. Described as a "joyous musical" it plays from May 25 to June 11.0