The Rural Voice, 1990-06, Page 23Larry and Judy Biesinger: "As a kid, we used to drink that water, and fish in it,"
Larry says of the almost stagnant stream on his property. "Now there's not even
frogs in it, and the birds have nearly all disappeared."
"Farmers should never haul manure on wet or frozen
ground," adds Judy. "It just runs straight into the streams."
But the Biesingers say they are optimists by nature, and
point to another stream at the back of their property, the
health of which has already started to improve. Upstream,
several conscientious livestock producers have installed
catch basins in their barnyard to capture and hold runoff.
This, combined with the composting of solid manure and
timely spreading in the fall, has helped to improve the
habitat.
As proud parents of three — Doug, an electronics
technician in Kitchener, Mark, a second -year University
of Western Ontario student, and Angela, just completing
her studies at Listowel District Secondary School — the
Biesingers still hope that one of their children will become
the sixth generation to work the land.
They add that a farming life should leave some time for
people to be active their community. Both of the Biesingers
are committed to their respective churches, and Larry is a
past grand knight of the local Knights of Columbus, a past
chairman of the township's parks and recreation board, a
director for the Perth County Pork Producers' Association,
and a member of the local Liberal party.
Larry says that more people should take an interest in
politics, but sees some serious flaws in a system where
elected members, particularly at the federal level, have to
toe the party line without considering the wishes of their
constituents. "They're like puppets who won't speak up,"
he says. He adds that high interest rates are "ruining the
economy," and that it's not right to
have "soup lines in the city, and farm-
ers mining the land in order to make a
living."
Since they married in 1966, the
Biesingers have always had a "a pay
as you go" approach to their farm.
"We didn't buy anything unless we
had the money first, and I always
knew when we had lean years," Judy
says.
In the hog barns, Larry says, it's
possible to increase profits by "doing
the little things" which don't necessar-
ily cost much money. He's convinced
that treating pigs more humanely is a
quick path to improving returns. "If
they're happier and healthier, they'll
produce. It also keeps the sulfa (drug)
usage down to an absolute minimum."
An admitted tinker and inventor
— "he's always thinking of how he
can do it a little better," says Judy —
Larry has been trying out various
methods of increasing the comfort
An admitted tinker and inventor,
Larry has been trying out various
methods of increasing the comfort of
his hogs .. .
JUNE 1990 19