The Rural Voice, 2002-03, Page 3About this issue
New look for a new time
Like farming, magazine and newspaper publishing has
been undergoing a phenomenal technological change and
this month's issue is the start of steps taking advantage of
these opportunities to produce a more attractive magazine.
In the little more than 25 years that The Rural Voice has
been published, there have been two revolutions in the
business. Shortly prior to the magazine's birth in 1975,
newspapers and magazines were still being published using
"hot type", type formed from molten lead, then coated with
ink and pressed against the paper. Whew did that take time!
Then came the offset revolution in which images were
transferred photographically to a thin metal sheet which
went on the press. Using the theory the oil (the basis of ink)
and water don't mix, the process allowed ink to stay in
some parts of the image while being repelled elsewhere.
About 1975 computerized photo -typesetters came into
use, greatly speeding the setting of type for the offset
process but still there was a lot of time used in cutting
columns of type and pasting them on layout sheets.
By the 1980s, leaders like Sheila Gunby, then publisher
of The Rural Voice, had discovered the ability of new
computers to assist the publishing industry. As computers
have progressed, they've taken over more and more of the
composition of this magazine. Today, for instance, all
photos are either shot with a digital camera or scanned into
the computer. The entire magazine is assembled on the
network of modern McIntosh computers in our office.
These changes bring about all kinds of possibilities. It's
now cheaper, for instance, to run full colour photos. We
began using full colour on our front cover in 1996 when the
cost of scanning and creating "colour separations" became
manageable (each colour photograph is made up of
different densities of four basic colours: magenta [red],
cyan [blue], yellow and black.)
Now colour is becoming less expensive and we hope to
make more use of it in coming months. We're also
"bleeding" photos off the edge of pages to make them
larger.
We hope you'll enjoy our new look and the other
changes to come in months ahead.— KR
Update
A bounteous success
The Huron Good Food Box Project, profiled in our
October issue, has been successful beyond all dreams.
For the very first month in October, 96 people paid their
$12 to get a plastic box filled with fresh fruits and
vegetables. By November, there were 165 clients and in
December, 240. In fact the demand exceeded the supply of
the plastic boxes used by the more than 30 volunteers to
pack the produce.
Efforts have also been made to make the program more
accessible to those who can't travel to pick up their boxes.
By the end of March it's anticipated there will be four pick-
up sites in Clinton, Goderich, Wingham and Exeter.
The project in Huron has a double purpose: to allow
people, especially those on fixed incomes, to get
inexpensive, nutritious food to improve their health, and
also to build bridges between consumers and local food
producers.
A survey in October showed the majority of users were
"working poor", on Ontario Works (welfare), seniors with a
fixed income or families with children. Others bought the
Good Food Boxes, not because of money savings but for
the quality of the food and these help support the program
by increasing volume.
Five local growers are involved in supplying the boxes
with fresh produce with the rest of the food coming in bulk
purchases from a local grocer.°
'Rural Voice
Published monthly by:
The Rural Voice,
Box 429, Blyth, Ontario,
NOM 1H0
Telephone: 519-523-4311 (fax 523-9140).
e-mail: norhuron@scsinternet.com
Subscriptions: $17.12 (12 issues)
(includes 7% GST)
Back copies $2.75 each
For U.S. rates, add $5 per year
Changes of address, orders for subscriptions
and undeliverable copies (retum postage
guaranteed) are to be sent to The Rural Voice
at the address listed above.
A division of North Huron Publishing Company Inc.
.,o -M MYRON RAM.. CCWIWI INC 1
Editor & Publisher: Keith Roulston
Editorial advisory committee:
Bev Hill, farmer, Huron Cty;
Diane O'Shea, farmer, Middlesex Cty.;
Gerald Poechman, farmer, Bruce Cty.
Contributing writers:
Bonnie Gropp, Carol Riemer, Ralph
Pearce, Bob Reid, Mervyn Erb, Sandra
Orr, Janice Becker, Mark Nonkes, Larry
Drew
Marketing & Advertising sales manager:
Gerry Fortune
Advertising representative:
Merle Gunby
Production co-ordinator:
Joan Caldwell
Advertising & editorial production:
Dianne Josling
Printed & mailed by: Signal -Star Publishing, Goderich, Ontario
Canadian Publication Mail Agreement Number 1375016 held by North Huron Publishing
Co. Inc. at Blyth, Ontario.
All manuscripts submitted for consideration should be accompanied by a stamped, self-
addressed envelope. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or
photographs, although both are welcome. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily
those of the publisher. Editorial content may be reproduced only by permission of the
publisher.
The Rural Voice makes every effort to see that advertising copy is correct. However, should an
error occur, please notify The Rural Voice office within 30 days of invoicing in order to obtain
a billing adjustment.