The Rural Voice, 2004-10, Page 55RAINY RIVER
11*
R.R. 1, Devlin, Ontario POW 1C0
807-486-3622
Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER ' The i Voice is provided to Rainy
RAINY •
R[VER VALLEY River Federation members by the RRFA.
September IS, 2004
Rain has fallen in the district over
the past couple of weeks, bringing
harvest to a standstill. It's an unusual
season, as summer passed us by all too
quickly, giving residents no chance to
complain about hot days. Gardens are
just beginning to produce due to late
planting this spring after the soil was
dry enough. There's no happy medium
when it comes to weather and there's
not a thing we can do about it.
Attending the September RRFA
meeting were Linda Armstrong, Bernie
Zimmerman, Rudy Sinninghe, KimJo
Bliss, Susan Boersma, Shirley Morrish,
Kristine Carpenter, Betty Salchert,
Clayton Teeple, Angela Halvorsen and
Marvin Smith.
Everyone presented positive reports
on the recent fall fair at Emo. Linda
was happy with the setup and the help.
but still needs more hands at take-down
time. Everyone is busy rushing off in
another direction it seems.
Betty, reporting for member
services, has three possible new
members and stated OFA is working
with OMAF in revising the Drainage
and Nutrient Management Act.
Ontario Agri -Food Education will
be celebrating Agri -Food Week
October 4-10 this year. Our local
association will be at the Clover Valley
Farmers' Market promoting milk and
building scarecrows for fall
decorations. We hope there will be
enough straw available to stuff our
creations on October 9.
Clayton reported oh the cattle sale at
Stratton for September. It has
happened, and with it, some
disappointment with prices received.
Miracles do not happen overnight and
things ,can only get better in time.
A new tagging system is in the
works. More on that later.
Bernie, reporting for the milk
producers, visited Dryden during their
fall fair. His sister, Mary Hyatt, went
along to help with the cattle and many
thought she was Bernie's wife.
Probably because they look so much
alike. There are 13 producers in our
district at this time and the fall policy
conference takes place in October.
Dryden now has three producers.
Numerous bears have been spotted
around the area lately and many near
the towns. They're attracted to garbage,
landfill sites, fruit trees, bird feeders
and acorns on trees. People are advised
to keep things cleaned up. Cover the
compost piles, secure the garbage and
clean barbecue grills after use and leave
bears alone. Report bear problems at 1-
866-514-2327. Visit the website:
www.bears.mnr.gov.on.ca
Landmark Feeds celebrated 50 years
in business this August. They began in
1954 in rural Manitoba and merged
with Maple Leaf Foods in 1999. Jake
Wolgemuth started the company as
founding president.
• The town of Kindersley. SK is
excited. They are launching a space
craft from the airport there on October
2. This town has about six motels, but
have to prepare extra accommodation
for the many visitors who will arrive
for the launch. Loralie Sturgess is the
project co-ordinator and everyone is
getting ready for the special event. •
The Canadian Western Agribition at
Regina is November 22-27, 2004.
Contact phone number is 306-565-
0565.
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
in Toronto is November 5-14, 2004.
Contact phone number is 1-877-683-
5742.
There's an obesity problem in the
United States. USDA (U.S. Dept. of
Agriculture) wants the advertising and
promotion of junk foods to stop.
An estate auction will be held
Saturday, October 2 at 10:00 a.m. at
Stratton, for the late Rod Salchert. Bill
Klassen Auctions will receive the bids.
School bus safety is being stressed
again now that buses arse ori the
roadways reports Rainy River Rural
Safety. Transport Canada has not yet
made final decisions on having child
car seats installed for children under
five years riding on school buses. It
will be mandatory for buses to .have a
new safety feature which would be a
bar at the front of the bus to stop kids
from crossing in the driver's blind spot.
All new regulations will come into
effect next September.
Parents and caregivers are advised
to check backpacks. for weight -They
should not be so heavy as to cause back
problems in later life. Fluordsdent tape
should also make the backpacks visible
at night. There is a fine for passing a
school bus with its lights flashing: $500
if you are caught. Never pass a school
bus loading or unloading children. If
passed, legislation will boost the
maximum fine to $2,000. Watch out for
the children. They are our future.
The annual RRFA meeting. for all
members, will be October 23 at
Stratton. Guest speaker will be Mac
Creech from Alberta. Peter Jeffery. a
senior Farm Policy researcher on land
use and property will also be there to
answer your questions on farm
implements, transportation. and wildlife
issues. Tickets are available from any
one of your directors for the supper and
entertainment or call Betty at 486-3536.
OFA Northwestern Region has a
new regional director. Mr. Peter
Aalbers from Thunder Bay has been
acclaimed and his term begins
November 24, 2004. Peter and his wife
Rensje have a dairy operation with their
son, Henry and daughter Trudy
farming 380 acres. They milk 95 cows
out of a total herd of 240. His number
is 807-939-1644.
CAIS (Canadian Agricultural
Income Stabilization program) has an
extended deadline of September 30.
2004 to complete and return your 200.1
CAIS supplementary form. You ha%
until December 31, 2004 to open an
CAIS program account at a
participating bank and have the
required deposit in your account. For
more information call 1-866-367-8506.
"A true friend is someone who
thinks you are a good egg even though
he knows you are slightly cracked."
This has been mentioned in
magazines before: but here goes
courtesy OCA. Is it just me or does
anyone else find it absolutely amazing
that the U.S. government can track a
cow born in Canada seven years ago.
right to the stall where she sleeps in the
state of Washington, and determine
exactly what the cow ate? They can
also track her calves right in their stalls
and tell you what kind of feed they ate.
But they are unable to locate 11 million
illegal aliens wandering around their
country, including people that try to
blow up important. structures in the
United States. My solution is to give
every illegal alien a cow as soon as
they enter the country.0
— Submitted by Shirley Morrish
OCTOBER 2004 51