The Rural Voice, 2002-11, Page 32Ag News
Take time to care for yourself, speaker says
When life gets hectic and stress
starts to rule your life you need to say
"It's time to take care of myself'.
counsellor Gabriele Del Bianco told
those attending the Perth County
Federation of Agriculture's annual
meeting. in Sebringville. September
16.
Stress. Del Bianco said. is real. "It
will change you physically. It can
interrupt your sleep. It can cause
many physical symptoms."
It can also make you bitter. It can
start to make you feel you don't care
and can ruin your morale. he said.
But celebrating wellness, will allow
you to let the energy flow again.
Stress can take over because
looking after your own needs often
comes last in a busy schedule. Del
Bianco said. "We need to allow
ourselves to work on wellness. You
have to know your own needs and
make sure those needs don't get left
to the last.
"Sometimes we never get around
to dealing with our needs." he said.
He recalled how what he remembers
about his father is not how hard he
worked but it is those days when he
said "That's enough work — we're
going fishing."
Stress makes you talk about
obstacles. Del Bianco said. Wellness
lets you get past focussing on the
obstacles. Wellness lets you keep you
and your family first.
One of the things that farming
most symbolizes is community, Del
Bianco said. "We need to know that
we're part of a community — that
people care about 'me'."
Farming is not a job, it's a calling,
he said quoting one farmer who said
"I can't stop doing this because it is
who I am." Ask yourself when was
the last time you thought about why
you do what you do, he suggested.
"Let the soul and the spirit 'of
farming be ministered to as much as
the tangible things." he said.
Tim Shute. a Woodham -area dairy
farmer was named president of the
Federation, succeeding Burnell
Kipfer of Sebringville who
completed a two-year term.
Kipfer said the last two years had
28 THE RURAL VOICE
Perth County Federation of Agriculture Vice -President Ed Danen (right)
presents the Federation's Recognition Award to Paul Verkley.
been a lot of work but he enjoyed his
term, getting to meet interesting
people from all over the county.
Bob Martin of Listowel is first
vice-president and Ed Danen of
Shakespeare is second vice-president.
Bert Vorstenbosch, Mitchell, is
the OFA Regional Director for Perth
South. Ed Danen is regional director
for Perth Central and Andy DeVries
of Atwood, for Perth North.
Winner of the annual recognition
award was Paul Verkley, a past
president of the Perth Federation
from 1988-90, an OFA Regional
director and as head of the OFA's
environment committee, was a leader
in the forming of the Ontario Farm
Environmental Coalition.
"This means a lot to me," Verkley
said, adding that looking at the list of
names of previous winners it was an
honour to be included with those
people. "It's been a pleasure to work
in an industry that values more than
just work," he said.
A resolution was passed at the
meeting asking OFA to develop
possible programs that would assist
beginning farmers and to report on
the progress of program development
both to the OFA board of directors
and the 2003 annual convention.0
Warren D. Moore
Forest Specialist
specializing in:
r > * Woodlot Management
li
* Timber Marking and Marketing
* Tree Pruning, Tree Removal
* Tree Planting Services
\ Certified Managed Forest Plan Approver li
Provincial Tree Marker
Blyth 523-9855