The Rural Voice, 2005-11, Page 55RAINY RIVER
Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
PO Box 416, EMO, ON POW 1E0
807-482-2051
' The Rural Voice is provided to Rainy
RAINY RIVER VALLEY River Federation members by the RRFA
Changes keep happening in Rainy River
October 19, 2005.
The wheelchair has been replaced
by a walker. I tried crutches, then a
cane and then got the call from the
physiotherapy department. not so fast
- a lot was done in that ankle. It
needs time to heal and have all its
parts strengthened. You will do better
with a walker. A different kind of
rolling motion, smoother movement.
The rest of me needs some work too.
Oh well I guess sitting for nine weeks
has that effect on one's middle.
1 now understand a little of the
frustration of those more firmly
attached to a wheelchair. The nice
circles for handicapped accessibility
are not always true descriptions of
what you encounter when you try to
access the establishments or their
facilities once you get inside. "It ain't
necessarily so!"
Over at the Research Station Kim
Jo and her helper Eric are in the
process of threshing and bagging the
results and she hopes to have the
results for the next column.
We were reminiscing this morning
over coffee and some of the changes
in the area are really noticeable. One
of the biggest changes are the number
of students in the neighbourhood.
Thirty years ago there were a dozen
young people getting on the school
bus from five farms. The fall of 2006
could see no buses running this road
because there will probably be no
students from those same five homes.
The dairy farmer has retired, the
sheep farmer has retired but there are
probably more beef cattle grazing
those fields. Children graduate and
head to town, university or college. I
wonder if there will be a turn -around
in the next generation. Our
neighbourhood has good pasture and
hay land. The wildlife (i.e. deer), are
increasing and hunters are more
evident. Maybe we will need to
become more tuned, to the
environment and put on our thinking
caps to make use of the fields and
forests in a different and more
profitable way.
The signs at either end of the
district are failing. There are signs of
weathering and rot appearing. The
Board has discussed the problem
thoroughly and is putting a
recommendation on the books that
the next Board form a new committee
to decide on the viability of the signs
and what and how to make them
more meaningful as well as inviting
to the district.
After much discussion following
the letter from The Rural Voice the
decision of the board was to appoint a
writer for the column/newsletter
rather than elect at the annual
meeting. This will be brought to the
annual meeting as well.
There will be a small question-
naire presented the meeting
concerning the feasibility of
beginning and linking a website for
the local Federation to the Rainy
River Future Development corpora-
tion website. There would be room to
advertise events. group activities and
other items of interest to the
agricultural community.
At the annual meeting in Stratton
on October 22 President Trish
presented the hard copy of the
Agriculture Framework Paper to the
membership. The strategic planning
process began in January 2005. The
general feeling was that we were not
looking forward and were likely
going backward. One thing that is
evident from the seminar's work-
shops was that the attendees have a
vision for the district they want to
see: "A diverse, vibrant and
sustainable agriculture sector contri-
buting as an important economic
driver in the district over the long
term." It was presented to the REDC
of the Future Development Corpora-
tion in September and they have said
that they will partner with us and
encourage the identified initiatives
and dedicate budget to the objective.
As members of the community we
will be challenged to take the
information generated and encourage
and become involved in the activities
that will move us toward the vision.
The RRFA feels that this process
has been worthwhile. Some of the
commodity groups in the district have
taken steps to educate the general
public as to what goes on in their
particular sector and been favourably
received. Some of them are hands on
and demonstration events. Bernie
Zimmerman did a milking demon-
stration with real cows at the Clover
Valley Farmers' Market. The
Cattlemen's Association are looking
at a feasibility study of a feedlot in
the district. Clover Valley Farmers'
Market is considering the feasibility
of co-operative distribution of local
products and is looking for indivi-
duals interested in adding value to
their products. These are just a few of
the many suggestions that came from
the Ag Summit in April. The Rainy
River Federation of Agriculture w ill
be doing a review and determining its
course of action from the Framework
paper.
This is my last column for The
Rural Voice. Jt has been an enjoyable
year. I've learned a lot. as always.
and have been challenged in ne‘N
ways. l have to acknowledge that
since we retired from active farming
neither of us is as involved as we
need to be to garner information and
news for the interest of the reader. It
has been fun. I wish to the new
reporter all success and a happy life
at the keyboard.
May the road rise to meet you.
May the sun be always on vaur back.
May you be in heaven a hall' hour
before the devil knows coo are dead.
- An Irish blessing.
- Submitted by
Jacquelyn Hunsperg'er
NOVEMBER 2005 51