The Rural Voice, 2005-02, Page 40new crop grain, but down the road, a
weather scare or a drop in the
Canadian dollar may provide an
opportunity. Higher prices are not
going to suddenly appear next week or
next month. I think, given what we
know right now, that improvement will
come over the longer haul.
I realize that many grain producers
in Ontario are in dire straits and there
does not appear to be any light at the
end of the tunnel. Farmers are a
resilient group and it may take some
time, but the current situation will
correct itself just as it has in previous
tough times.0
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i
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Angelika Hammel
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rr 3 Allenford, ON
NOH 1A0
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www.lindenhofwoolmill.com
36 THE RURAL VOICE
AgriTech
Planning now for spring colour
Janice
Becker is a
computer
enthusiast
and
journalist
living near
Walton, ON.
For anyone who is a regular reader
of this column, you will know that
early each year, I begin thinking
about gardening, whether that be of
colourful blooms•or a few vegetables
in my wee raised bed.
This year the thoughts came
sooner than usual and it can't be
cabin fever, as we haven't
accumulated much snow thus far.
Six-foot high snow banks do not yet
obscure the view of the road from my
house.
The cause may be the construction
that took place late last fall. My
husband and I decided it was time for
some improvements to the situation
of hydro poles and wiring in our yard
so the experts were called in.
Of course, the new line to the
house had to run through a perennial
bed I had created just last spring.
So, with the tearing out of plants
(with hopes for their survival in their
temporary winter home), and an
abundance of freshly- turned ground,
the planning has begun.
Aside from my regular spring visit
to my favourite nursery for my
preferred perennials, I love to plant a
few seeds in peat pots each winter to
watch them sprout. It is fun for me
and a learning experience for my
children.
So with the dream of several new
beds this spring, I thought a look at a
few on-line seed companies might be
in order.
There are some big names that
come to mind immediately including
Dominion Seed House,
www.dominion-seed-house.com,
Stokes Seeds, www.stokeseeds. com
and The Ontario Seed Company,
www.oscseeds.com and I am sure
there are countless more.
The OSC site has a very easy-to-
use, on-line shopping catalogue, with
drop down lists for categories and
then a further selection by plant type
and species. A simple click puts that
order in your shopping basket.
The Dominion Seed site is also
very good, but slightly less user-
friendly.
At Stokes, the list of choices is
extensive, but planting information is
more limited on-line.
All sites offer print catalogue for
those who prefer shopping with book
in hand.
If you are looking for specific
plants, vegetables, or greenery,
inputting that information into your
favourite search engine will result in
several choices.
In recent years, many naturalists
and environmentalists have
encouraged growers to look for
heritage plants that are native to their
area. These choices not only help to
preserve the true nature of the region,
but result in gardens which are less
difficult to nurture and which thrive
more readily.
A heritage plant database can be
found at Seeds of Diversity —
Canada's Heritage Seed Program,
www.seeds.ca/en.php.
A quick look at the list of nurseries
that offer heritage and heirloom seeds
shows businesses from across the
country. As I scrolled down the list, I
was surprised to find one in my own
backyard.
Circle Dance Seeds,
www.circledanceseeds.co, is located
at R.R.3, Brussels on McNabb Line
in Grey Township of Huron County.
According to her web information,
owner Kim Yuzwa promotes
heirloom, open -pollinated vegetable,
herb and flower seeds that are
organically grown. Her on-line
catalogue gives a brief description of
the plant such as height and sun
preference, but also includes
information on whether it is edible,
invasive, medicinal or attracts
wildlife.
This was a fun find for me and as I
often suggest, just go surfing, you
never know what treasures you might
uncover.
Contact me at
jlbecker@wightman.ca or through
The Rural Voice office, with feedback
or topic suggestions.0
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