The Rural Voice, 1993-12, Page 70People
Jack Cumming (centre) receives the Award of Merit from Brian Ireland on
behalf of the Bruce County Federation of Agriculture. Cumming and his wife
Helen were honoured at the Federation's annual meeting in Elmwood.
Plowing Match head honoured
with Award of Merit
Calling him "the best ambassador Bruce County ever had" Brian Ireland
presented Jack Cumming with the Award of Merit from the Bruce County
Federation of Agriculture at the annual meeting in Elmwood, Novemberl2.
Cumming was county chairman for the Bruce County International Plowing
Match Committee for 1993. The match was hailed as one of the most successful,
and best organized, in years. The R.R. 2, Dobbinton farmer is also a former
warden of Bruce County.
Cumming and his wife Helen were lured to the meeting with a request to give
a wind-up report on the IPM. Caught by surprise by the award, he said that for
once he was speechless.°
Hensall farmer wins FBDB
Young Entrepreneur Award
A 27 -year-old Hensall farmer won the Young Entrepreneur Award from
the London branch office of the Federal Business Development Bank
(FBDB).
Brent Dawson farms 1,000 acres with his family during the summer
months but it was his side business, Dawson Custom Counters, for which he
won his award. His company specializes in manufacturing post -formed
countertops for commercial and residential applications. He started it in 1988.
"The key to survival of small business is maintaining low overhead,"
Dawson said. "Cost control will help small business prosper, even in difficult
times."
FBDB presents the Young Entrepreneur Awards to recognize the
achievements of exceptional Canadian entrepreneurs aged 29 years and
younger. Dawson was the London office nominee for the Ontario award. A
total of 12 awards were presented, one for each province and each territory, at
a ceremony in Calgary, October 21.
As well as his businesses Dawson is active at his church and and regularly
plays on local fastball and hockey recreational teams.°
Farm women look
for more training
Improving the skills of the
husband and wife teams who run
Canadian farms, not the individuals,
is the next step towards improving
the future of Canadian agriculture,
says a report from the Canadian
Farm Women's Education Council.
Diane O'Shea, who farms with
her husband Mike 20 minutes north
of London, was one of the Ontario
representatives on the Council.
O'Shea herself knows the value of
training. Since 1986 she has attended
night school and has enjoyed the
more "human" types of training such
as negotiating skills. She has also
taken courses in entrepreneurial and
leadership skills, business manage-
ment and personal development.
"Finding time is a real problem
I've faced in training," O'Shea says.
"That's why short seminars are so
effective. I've also found that on-site
training is really beneficial."
O'Shea already holds a Diploma
in Home Economics and does
freelance work off the farm in home
economics and human development.
She has also earned a Certificate in
Health Promotion and Education
from the University of Western
Ontario and is completing her degree
in sociology.
She and her husband have a beef
feedlot and grow corn, white beans,
soybeans and wheat. They also
operate a roadside market where they
sell strawberries and vegetables
grown on the farm, operate a "pick -
your -own" business and make
Saturday morning trips to farmers
markets in Stratford and St. Marys.0
Award for Stewart
Kevin Stewart, CKNX radio
reporter, won the "Tom Leach
Award" for the best farm news radio
story under five minutes in length at
the recent Canadian Farm Writers'
Federation convention in Guelph.
The award was for his story on
Stable Funding. Stewart is now
producer of The Family Farmer on
CKNX television.°