The Rural Voice, 2005-05, Page 55RAINY RIVER .•ora
PO Box 416, EMO, ON POW 1 E0
807-482-2051
•Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER The Rural Voce is provided to Rainy
RAINY RIVER VALLEY River Federation members by the RRFA
Spring brings plenty of activity
Spring has arrived. We look out
the window and the sun is shining
and the sky is blue. It is amazing how
fast the snow piles went down. the
winter of 2004-2005 was a little more
like the ones of memory, lots of snow
and some cold temperatures.
The Rainy River Federation of
Agriculture met in the Emo Curling
Club on April 5 at 7:30 p.m.
Secretary Linda Armstrong reported
that she has made contact with
Provincial Director Peter Albers and
they are trying to arrange a meeting
whereby he can come to meet our
Board of Directors. She will
report back when the details are
finalized.
The Farm Progress Building
Committee has the letters ready to be
mailed and Linda reported that the
times for the exhibits to be open will
remain the same as other years. Linda
also served notice that we should be
looking for someone to take her place
on this committee as she and her
house helper are thinking it is time to
retire. Members take note and put on
your thinking caps and be ready come
annual meeting time this fall.
The Farm Beautification
Committee in conjunction with the
Rainy River Agricultural Society will
be sending the brochures out in June.
Please consider what you can do to
enter your farm in the competition.
The more who enter the more fun we
have.
Kris Carpenter of the OAFE
committee gave a series of examples
of the information and projects
available to the teachers in the
schools of our district and explained
that the teacher's knowledge or
commitment will determine the
presentation in the classroom. Some
teachers and principals are very
receptive and others are hardly
lukewarm. It was noticed that the best
contact for the results we would like
is the individual teacher that you have
met in another setting.
The bright idea that was discussed
was the Dairy Expo in Madison,
Wisconsin as a bus trip open to more
than just dairy people. It will be
brought up at a later meeting with a
little more information to be assessed
by the directors and perhaps we will
look for some help in putting
something together and announcing
the idea to the community.
Kim -Jo brought the good news
that the local 4-H fees will be
subsidized so that the cost will be $25
for each member. She noted a couple
on the list: a tractor club, cook-
book club. If you have a potential
4-H member in your family I am
sure the leaders will be glad to
hear from you. Kim -Jo will be
glad to share the information you
need.
The "Ag Summit" that was held
on March 30 in Barwick brought
some positive reports in the local
newspapers and some ideas were put
out for thought and discussion over
coffee in the area. The keynote
speaker, Jim Cumming and facilitator
Ed Hoshizaki agreed and made it
clear to those who attended that our
future is in our own hands and we
need to get together to present a
unified voice to government as to
what we are aware of and how the
rules and regulations that they put
into effect may not help us as it may
in the southern part of our province.
We are unique in our climate,
distances to major cities in any
direction. We are in the centre of the
continent and need only to have some
infrastructure to open our doors to
trade, tourism and industry.
There were many ideas that have
merit brought forward to the floor
and our vice-president Rick Boersma
stated "We are not done with this. We
need to represent a unified voice with
all farming groups speaking from the
same page."
President Trish Neilson is quoted
as saying that we will he working
with The Clover Valley Farmers'
Market and the Rainy River Future
Development Corporation to market
brand-name produce. "This is just a
starting point. I think it was a really
big step towards developing a plan.
The task ahead of is to make
something happen."
The full report of the Ag Summit
will be available sometime early in
April and I hope to be able to report
more fully next month.
"Sooner or later, those who win
are those who think they can."0
— Submitted by
Jacquelyn Hunsperger
Upcoming Events
• April 30: Due date for income tax filing
• May 3: RRFA Directors' meeting, 7:30 p.m., Stratton
Municipal Office.
• May 4: 4-H leader meeting, 7:30 p.m., Barwick Hall.
• May 17: Photo Club - Scrap -a -bit, Emo.
May 27-28: Emo Walleye Tournament.
MAY 2005 51