The Rural Voice, 2002-11, Page 3About this issue
Another set of regulations
Farmers who feel like they've been deluged with new
regulations lately will face another set of changes with new
rules coming down for on-farm fuel storage. Farm fuel
dealers are becoming concerned with educating their
customers on the new requirements. How big will the
headache be? We look at the issue this month.
The environment seems to be everywhere you turn these
days, perhaps with good reason. Speaking to the Grey
County Federation of Agriculture in October,
environmental consultant John Westwood told his audience
that Grey County has the best water in Ontario but it's
something that shouldn't be taken for granted. Water is a
very complicated part of the environment and tiny changes
can have big consequences. Nature is flexible and can bend
so far but if you go beyond a certain point the damage is
irreversible. We have information from his speech in our
news department.
Also in the news section, Huron County Federation of
Agriculture heard from Helen Johns, Ontario Minister of
Agriculture and Food at its annual meeting. Meanwhile
Perth County Federation of Agriculture heard from
Gabriele Del Bianco who counsels farmers and others on
how to have a healthy lifestyle by making sure family time
and relaxation are an important part of the agenda.
For some farmers, relaxation can come from preserving
history in the form of old farm machinery. Those who
restore Massey -Harris equipment recently held a reunion
on a farm near Birr, north of London. Jeffrey Carter was
there to talk to some of the hobbyists who gathered from
across the province.
With the holiday party season approaching, (scary
thought, isn't it?) Bonnie Gropp deals with appetizers in
her recipe column this month. Meanwhile in her decorating
column, Patti Robertson gives tips on how to give your
home a new look when you don't have a lot of money to
buy everything new.0
Update
New rules for farm attractions
Agri -tourism attractions like the Newton corn maze
operated by Ernst and Nelly Hofer (in our August issue)
may soon face new regulations following a straw -bale -
maze fire on a farm north of Toronto in early October.
The Globe and Mail reports that the Ontario fire
marshal's office is ready to draft a new safety code after
dozens of people were endangered when a 13 -year-old boy
set fire to large straw bales used to create a maze at
Whitamore's Berry Farm in Markham where as many as
25,000 people a year tour the farm's attractions.
"We are obviously very concerned by what happened and
we will look to see if some sort of code can be
implemented," Krystyna Paterson, manager of fire safety
standards for the fire marshal's office told the paper.
Twenty children were among those trapped by the fire in
the heavy bales. Farm staff climbed on top of the maze
walls to guide frightened customers to safety.
According to the newspaper, the new standards will
likely cover mazes of corn stalks or tall grasses that can dry
out and become a hazard for fires.
Also being examined are Halloween attractions like
haunted houses and barns where fire regulations currently
don't extend to decorations. Paterson said she wasn't aware
of other fires in Ontario that involved Halloween
attractions but mazes have burned in the U.S.
There have been only a few claims to insurance
companies involving Halloween or Christmas attractions in
recent years according to Eve Patterson, Ontario regional
manager for the Insurance Bureau of Canada.0
'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 (return postage
guaranteed) are to be sent to The Rural Voice
at the address listed above.
A division of North Huron Publishing Company Inc.
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.
A