The Rural Voice, 2000-11, Page 47RAINY RIVER
Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
441*
R.R. 1, Devlin, Ontario POW 1C0
807-486-3622
Ati=11.1L RAINY RIVER VALLEY • The Rural Voice is provided to Rainy
River Federation members by the RRFA.
October 16, 2000
Where does the time go? Our summer
was just getting to be comfortable and along
comes the busy days of autumn, with winter
closing in fast.
The District has had a terrific harvest
this year, with the hays, grains and cattle.
Farmers are very satisfied with prices and it
makes the cold days ahead seem much
warmer.
The October RRFA meeting was held at
Morley with Linda Armstrong, Betty
Salchert, KimJo Calder, Bernie
Zimmerman, Kristine Carpenter, Shirley
Morrish, Reg Kaus, Dianne Vandenbrand,
Kim Desserre and Angela Halvorsen in
attendance.
The 13th annual trade show in Fort
Frances was held September 29 - 30 and
was a huge success this year. They reported
72 filled booths and lots of great prizes.
The local 4-H Association had a good
meeting on September 25. Much was
accomplished with the annual meeting date
set and the upcoming awards banquet in the
planning stage. We still need more leaders
out there. Some of us are aging, and getting
kicked while playing soccer doesn't heal as
quickly anymore.
Gordon Scheifele, Crop Research Co-
ordinator and famous hemp promoter had
an awesome 500 mile train trip across
Germany. Give him a call at 1-800-461-
6132, if you want to know more about his
work.
The Agribition Bus Trip to Regina,
Saskatchewan is filling up fast. It costs
$150 to register. The hotel in Regina City
has been booked and it has a transit bus that
will take you to and from Agribition
grounds. If you want to double up with a
friend to save on motel costs, just let
Angela Halvorsen, Northern Ventures
Officer and Trip co-ordinator know, by
calling 274-3276 or 1-800-465-8502. It's a
first come -first paid basis.
Don't forget to vote for your municipal
school board candidates on Monday,
November 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The Rainy River Federation of
Agriculture and the Rainy River Future
Development Corporation teamed to stage
the "Country Roads Farm Tour". It was an
event to educate people on what happens in
the farming part of our district, and to
promote agriculture. It was such a success
that it will be an annual event with different
farms taking part each year. The last one
was in 1997.
Some 154 guests signed the book at the
first stop at Willow -Mor Farms, where
visitors walked amongst, and petted horses,
cows, pigs, sheep, goats, turkeys, chickens,
rabbits, geese, ducks, cats, "Charlie" the
donkey and "King" the border collie dog.
Later, they enjoyed the Enchanted Forest
and munched on homemade cookies with
hot apple cider or coffee. From there, the
two buses travelled to the Research Station,
managed by Kimio. Here everyone could
see the results of this season's crops along
with honey being sold by Sturgeon Creek
Honey Farm.
Following the bus, we headed for Nico
and Jeannette Velhuisens' Dairy Farm to
watch the cows come into the barn, be
washed and then milked. Many were
astonished at the way everything was so
automated and actually seeing the milk
pumping into the big holding tank.
Light rain was falling by the time we
headed for Mud Lake City, south of Devlin,
costed by Wayne and Betty Salchert. There
we turned back the century, walking into a
world that only our grandparents knew and
lived. The wet weather made the
hamburgers, hotdogs and coffee taste even
better and rounded off a great day. A terrific
job done by co-ordinators, Betty and
Angela.
KimJo survived the truck accident with
the bald eagle on her way to Mud Lake
City. She was rushing as usual. Her dad's
brand new barbecue was in the back to cook
the burgers quickly. Needless to say, neither
the barbecue or the Eagle survived the
ordeal.
The entertainment committee for the
annual dinner was Ken Fisher, KimJo
Calder and Jason Teeple and what a hoot it
was. For those of you who missed the
evening's event, we're sorry, because you
missed some local talent performing at their
best and all very busy with other
commitments. Bernie didn't do so badly as
MC either; but, where does he find those
jokes. We have a great bunch of characters
in the RRFA this year.
The RRFA has been in existence for 25
years and the celebration will take place
during the annual dinner and dance in the
spring of 2001.
The new executive for the upcoming
year is: President, Linda Armstrong;
directors, Bernie Zimmerman, Rudy
Sinninghe, Susan Boersma, KimJo Calder,
Ken Fisher, Reg Kaus, Kristine Carpenter,
Jason Teeple and treasurer Kelly Faragher.
The position of Rural Voice writer had
some pretty stiff competition. Runners up
were Jack Vandenbrand and Ken Fisher.
They both promised to take over if I ever go
on a holiday, or say the wrong thing.
Clover Valley Farmers' Market will
hold their final day on Saturday, October
28. 1t has been a successful season with the
opportunity to buy the products our
neighbours produce, build and sell. Market
managers, Deb Cornell -Darby and Pat
Clysdale-Cornell have done a great job.
Ontario Agriculture Week was
celebrated October 2-8 and Saturday,
October 7 OAFE committee set up a display
at the market promoting dairy production.
Customers were able to take turns at making
butter the old-fashioned way turning the
crank on the butter churn and later sampling
the results on homemade bread.
Last spring, our committee handed out
free mixed seeds, reminding recipients to
plant a garden, take a photo of the results
and take it to the October 7 Farmers'
Market. Winner was four-year-old Amber
Corrigan who received a packet of
pepperettes donated by Rainy River Meat
Producers and an inflatable toy cow donated
by Rainy River Dairy Producers. Amber not
only had the most beautiful garden, she was
the only person to bring a photo in to
receive her prize.
Thousands of lady bugs have landed in
the Rainy River District and everyone is
asking "why"? I say they mean "good luck"
and it sure beats locusts and grasshoppers.
Someone told me that people in cities
actually buy lady bugs to eat the aphids and
insects in their gardens. So, if you catch
your neighbour skipping around with a tiny
net and a big jar she's not nuts, she's going
to diversify.
Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477 have a
new NO TRESPASSING sign available at a
cost of only $2 (tax included). The signs
also give the toll free number if a trespasser
or poacher is spotted. "You never know
who is watching" is their logo and "Keeping
Our Community Safe".
A reminder to all 'Northwestern Ontario
Bell telephone customers that the new
books will be printed soon. If you want any
changes in your name listings, call 310 -
BELL before November 20, 2000.
Farm Safety advises that some kids
carry backpacks that weigh as much as 50
per cent of their body weight. This can
cause muscle strain, neck and shoulder pain,
lower back pain or acquired scoliosis
(curvature of the spine). Children's
backpacks should weigh less than 10 per
cent of their body weight. Some backpacks
are inadequately designed for the weight in
them. Remember to take a minute and
check your child's pack before he leaves the
house for school. 1t takes only a minute to
haul out the bathroom scales.
Rainy River Rural Safety Association
met at Carol Angus's kitchen table to discuss
the upcoming annual in January and set the
direction for 2001. The Association donated
a road sign, a travel bag and a child's cap
for the draws at the recent farm tour.
"It is neither wealth nor splendor, but
tranquility and occupation which give
happiness." — Thomas Jefferson (1743-
1826).0 - Submitted by Shirley Morrish
NOVEMBER 2000 43