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The Rural Voice, 1993-11, Page 23comment to me on how much they like driving by, and being on a main road like this, it's nice to brighten it up for people. "If you like doing something, it's not hard work. In the summer, we are up early in the morning, and stay up late at night. Sometimes we get home from work and start on the garden — there's always weeding and of course lots of watering — and we don't come inside and start supper until after dark. But we find it to be both rewarding and relaxing." Her husband nods in agreement. * * * Al and Rosalie Zettler of R.R. 1, Cargill, won first place in the category, "Rural home, already improved". They built their Viceroy home nine years ago on a 14 -acre triangle of Rosalie and Al Zettler and their prizewinning rural home. land backing onto the Saugeen River. Both were born and raised on farms, and Rosalie now works for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food in Walkerton, while Al is the manager of the Walkerton Golf Club. He has worked there for 25 years, starting as a caddy. He also has a license to allow him to purchase and apply professional lawn chemicals. At one time, he was also caring for about 20 lawns besides the golf course and his own property, but that got to be too much. "It takes about five hours to trim and cut this property," says Al. "Often in the summer I'm up and starting at 5:30 to get it done. It takes a lot of time. I get out there with herbicides, fertilizers, whatever it needs. The trees are fertilized each year, and each shrub gets different applications, depending on what it requires. I have the soil tested about every two years. I send it to the University of Guelph, and get a fax back saying what to change." This year the Zettlers added a new shed to match the house. The property is beautifully landscaped. Many of the shrubs they started from seedlings themselves, and each year they add more perennials. They have many spring bulbs in the gardens as well. Each year everything is carefully trimmed and pruned to keep it at its best and healthiest. The vast expanse of green lawn, set off by glorious old maples across the back, welcomes visitors to their home. Al is especially proud of that front acreage of lawn. "That area is all what they call blue clay and sand. Blue clay is as hard as cement when it's dry, and like gum when it's wet. There is not more than — at most — two inches of topsoil anywhere on there. That's part of the reason I'm so proud of it now. It takes a lot of time and effort to keep it looking good, but I would defy anyone to find a weed out there anywhere. The main thing out in the country is that you're at the mercy of nature. If there's no rain, you're done. We water with hoses for close to the house, but need rain for the rest. You also have to know the right quantities and types of fertilizers to use, and when to use them. It's an art, there's no doubt. But to me, it's not work, that's my love. Turf, trees, flowers — I love it. Even inside the house; some people say it's like a jungle." * * * erald and Marlene Poechman won first place in the "Conservation Farm" category. The Poechmans and one of their children, Nathan, at the entry to their 650 acre conservation farm. "This basically covers how you manage your farm," explains Marlene. "It has to do with control of wind, soil, and water erosion. I'm very proud of Gerald and of winning the award. He really deserves it because of the incredible amount of work he has done here." The Poechmans took over their farm in March of this year from Harold Poechman, Gerald's father. "We were conservation minded first," the couple explain, "and now we farm organically as well." Both Gerald and Marlene were raised on farms. They have five young children. Gerald was born and raised on this farm that was his father's. They now have 25 .beef cattle, 3600 laying hens, and 10 pigs for the freezer trade. Their 650 -acre farm south of Walkerton is located on highly erodable land — sandy and hilly. Gerald explains their priorities "We rotate according to crop rotation guidelines, but more to the needs of the soil. We don't plant according to cash crops. We keep the soil covered at all times, using cover crops and residue management, and growing winter cover. We have stopped mould board plowing entirely. We don't do it at all any more." "For winter crops we plant wheat, rye, and spelt, and in the spring we do barley, oats, wheat, corn, soybeans, faba beans and hay." Gerald studied farm business management for two years at Centralia College, learning the basics of soil life and soil fertility. "Everything starts with soil health," he explains. "Everything is intricately connected with soil life. It is dependent upon humus: the compost and crop residue, and the `herald tikAttarierze Rechmani and fa may) NOVEMBER 1993 19