The Rural Voice, 1993-11, Page 471
RAINY RIVER
Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
R.R. 1, !Devlin, Ontario POW 1C0
807-486-3622
• The Rural Voice is provided to Rainy
River Federation members by the RRFA.
October 14 — The warm magical days of
Autumn have arrived after what seemed
like endless days of rain this past
summer. Farmers are once again
harvesting their crops and hauling in the
hay that had to be left in the muddy
fields. Some of the area's best hay is
being baled up this week, and after
talking to some of the "old timers" in the
area, they have never seen a year like this
one or ever remember haying in October.
But, this is the Rainy River District and
wonders here never cease.
The RRFA held their October 7
meeting at the Agricultural Office in
Emo with Vice -President Wayne Flatt
presiding. Other directors attending were
Kim Desserre, Linda Armstrong, Amos
Brielman, Mike Zimmerman, Ralph
Hunsperger, Tammy Hunsperger, Jack
Vandenbrand, Shirley Morrish, Gary
Esselink, and Rick and Sue Boersma who
were busy farming until after the sun
went down.
The cattle sale at Stratton on October
2 was low in number and prices average.
Only 762 head were offered with half go-
ing to Southern Ontario and the remain-
der being purchased locally and by
buyers from Manitoba. The high market
prices have been drawing the local cattle
out of the district with truckloads going
out almost every day. Desmond Plew-
man from Winnipeg was the auctioneer,
Kim Jo Bliss, President of the RRCA
recorded the sales, and manager Wade
Desserre, with his crew, kept the cattle
moving after being soned and weighed.
It was one of those extra cold days that
we have been experiencing lately.
Agri -Food Week was celebrated
October 3-9 in the District. There was a
display at the Clover Valley Farmers'
Market and Radio station CFOB distri-
buted locally produced prizes to listen-
ers who phoned in to the station. One in
10 people in the Rainy River District are
employed directly or indirectly in the
agriculture and food industry.
Ralph Hunsperger, reporting for the
Fair board, said that tickets are on sale
for $50 for the Dakota Truck Draw to be
held next year. Monies raised will "raise
the roof' on the new grandstand.
Amos Brielman, reporting for Soil
and Crop, said that the outside scale at
Stratton salesyard is now easily
accessible to weigh your hay or grain.
The sides have been removed and it can
now handle a 10 -foot wide load with no
problem. There will be an annual fee for
its use and Bill Romyn is the man to
contact for information.
It's been reported that a llama has
become the latest animal addition to Bill
and Marg Govier's Petting Zoo south of
Emo.
The Rainy River District 4-H Banquet
and Skating party will be held at 7:30
p.m. on November 5, at the Emo-
LaVallee Community Centre. Deadline
for ordering tickets from the Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and Food is
October 29.
The bus trip to the Brandon area was
a huge success. Planning committee
people were Bud McQuaker, Shirley
Morrish and Karl VanHeyst with Farm
Management Specialist Mike Neilson co-
ordinating. A number of cow/calf
operations, crop viewing, bunker silos,
rotational grazing, feedlots, Auction
Marts, and Brandon Research Station
were some of the stops on the trip.
Twenty-seven district people were on
board the GM diesel operated by Eldon
Mose of LaVallee, who found the trip to
be an educational one for himself as well.
It was three days away from our
unfinished work at home, but proved to
be the break we all needed. With all the
wet weather around the district, even
Amos was able to take some time off and
enjoy the Manitoba sunshine. Much that
was learned will be used by district beef
producers.
On October 6, the Rainy River Farm
Management Club had Dr. Jim Geddis as
guest speaker at the Emo Library. The
topic was "Stress Management on the
Farm". The leading cause of stress is
lack of sleep. The human body can lose
a night of sleep but if you lose two, it
means trouble. "The secret of happy
living is not to do what you like, but to
like what you do."
The RRFA annual Fall Dinner &
Dance was at Stratton this year on
Saturday October 9, with 100 attending.
The theme was "Country — Western" and
the delicious buffet meal of fried
chicken, ham and all the trimmings was
catered by Sis Woolsey and her cookies
from Barwick. Election followed with
Kim Jo Bliss in charge keeping things
tanning smoothly.
Past President is Rick Boersma,
President is Linda Armstrong, a
Secretary is still needed and Kim
Desserre will continue as Treasurer. The
new Directors are: in Zone 2, Jack
Vandenbrand; Zone 3, Mike
Zimmerman; Zone 4, Shirley Morrish;
director at large for Zone 1, Gordon
Hoskins. Delegates to the annual
convention are Linda Armstrong, Tammy
Hunsperger, with Alternate Shirley
Morrish. Prov. Director is Dein Belluz of
Thunder Bay.
Draws were made throughout the
evening and a big Thank You goes to the
people who donated prizes: Norlund Oil
(cap), Gordon Cornell; Sharp Cuts (510
gift cert.), Marilyn Flatt; T. J. Kaemingh
& Sons ($25 gift cert.), Bill Govier;
Decore & More (milk can filled with
toffee), Shelly Camp; CIBC — Emo (cap),
Rick Mickolson; Standard Insurance F.
F. (smoke detector), Loretta LeBlanc;
CIBC — Emo (cap), Don McCullough;
Emo Feed Service (gloves), Marg
Govier; OFA (cap), Adrienne
McCullough; CIBC Emo (playing cards),
Mary Curtis; Standard Insurance (smoke
detector), Stan Armstrong; NorWest
Animal Clinic ($50 gift cert.), Carol
Allen; CIBC — Emo (cap), Kim Jo Bliss;
Emo Feed Service (cap), Jeannine
Cornell; Standard Insurance (smoke
detector), Kim Desserre; RRFA (cap),
Sid Curtis; Emo Feed Service (work
gloves), Gladys Smith; Norlund Oil
(cap), Wade Desserre.
Thanks to all who donated and to
everyone who came out to help me deco-
rate and set up for the dinner and dance.
Without this terrific group of workers,
the job would be a job and we'd miss all
the fun. Thanks to T. J. Kaemingh &
Sons for allowing the RRFA to use their
Fax machine each month.
"There are three kinds of people who
attend meetings: The Doers, the
Followers, and the Ones who take the
lunch."
The community extends heartfelt
condolences to Nellie Romyn and family
on the recent passing of Harry Romyn.
Harry was a dairy farmer, long time
RRFA director and dedicated to any job
he set out to do. He will be missed.
Our next RRFA meeting will be at
Stratton on November 4 at 7:30 p.m.0
Shirley Morrish
NOVEMBER 1993 43