The Rural Voice, 1998-05, Page 63RAINY RIVER
Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
R
R.R. 1, Devlin, Ontario POW 1C0
807-486-3622
• The Rural Voice is provided to Rainy
AQrY RIVER VALLEY River Federation members by the RRFA.
March 23. It was an excellent
conference with keynote speaker Roy
Bonisteel from Trenton, author and host
of CBC Television's Man Alive.
President Pat Morgan, stated that the
safety education, promotion and
training programs developed by FSA
have definitely played a role in the
dramatic reduction of fatalities on the
farm. The emphasis on children's safety
will continue to be a major focus of
FSA activities. The Association is
currently in the final stages of
producing a video and print materials
for a program designed to teach tractor
safety to new drivers. The project will
be launched later this year. Even those
among us who are vigilant in our
approach to safety and accident
prevention, benefit from regular
reminders. I met some terrific people
while attending the conference. They
know who they are without mentioning
names and I do appreciate the
comments about this monthly
newsletter. I was once told that good
writing stimulates the brain and leaves a
lasting impression. That is my goal.
Farm Progress Building will have an
ad in the upcoming Fair book. This is
their 20th year in existence and ideas
are needed on how to celebrate. Call
Linda Armstrong or Kim Desserre with
your ideas.
Rudy reported for the Milk
Producers. He said that their annual
meeting was last month and that at that
time there were only 20 milk producers
in the Rainy River District.
Kim reported for Community
pasture stating that treatment of the
cattle entered would be at the
producer's expense and an option. She
also said that 500 - 600 cords of wood
have been cut with the sale of such to be
used for pasture expenses. The main
pen will be replaced with steel panels,
which will be purchased from
Manitoba. Wade Desserre is the pasture
manager.
Each year the RRFA presents $100
to a student graduating from high
school and furthering their education in
the Agricultural field. They must also
be the child of an RRFA member.
Forms are available from the High
School in Fort Frances.
"Take risks: if you win, you will be
happy; if you lose, you will be wise.
"In the end, the only people who fail
are those who do not try".0
– By Shirley Morrish
April 14, 1998
Our much-needed rain has finally
arrived in the District, just in time to
terminate the fire situation and create
some pasture growth. Crops and hay
production for this year are still
debatable. There was a shortage last
year, but with good management we all
survived the winter.
Present at the April 6 RRFA meeting
were Kim Desserre, Don McCullough,
Kristine Carpenter, Shirley Morrish,
Lucy Lahti, Betty Salchert, Wayne
Flatt, Linda Armstrong, Rudy
Sinninghe, Bill Darby and John
VandenBroek from MNR, who is
involved with Community Fisheries and
Community Wildlife Programs. He
gave a detailed presentation on their
latest project at John Vandenbrand's
cow pasture where they have set up a
fish spawning bed in the river that flows
through his pasture. If you'd like to see
the project, call John first at 482-5893.
Bell Canada surprised our District
with a toll-free calling expansion. We
will be able to phone Morson, Nester
Falls, Rainy River, Stratton and
Barwick without paying the long
distance charges as in the past. Bell also
stated that the $200 million local
service improvement will not change
the price we are paying out now. Linda
Armstrong has been working very hard
for the past five years trying to obtain
private lines in her area. Bell has told
her that it should be in place by the year
2000. This doesn't ease the pain any,
when everyone around them are
receiving special services and Stan and
Linda must wait it out. Nothing could
be more capricious or unfair.
New member Services Rep. Betty
Salchert was introduced and gave a
brief report on Ag Days. The speakers
were excellent and the displays were
superb. The food was delectable and the
prizes were first-rate.
Huge thanks go out to the organizers
of this weekend, and to the ones who
helped with the RRFA dinner and dance
on the Friday evening.
Congratulations go to Kristine and
Andrew Carpenter on being presented
with 1997 outstanding Volunteer
Service to Agriculture in the Rainy
River District Award. It is presented in
memory of Bill Gibson, who gave so
many hours of his time in RRFA visions
while his children were quite young.
Andrew and Kristine have set the same
example for others to follow. With
coffee cup in hand, Kristine sets forth
on many volunteer projects and Andy is
not too far behind.
April 1998 has been designated as
Smoke -Free Homes Month. The
NorthWestern Health Unit's main
objective is to increase awareness of the
effects of secondhand smoke, and• to
encourage families to protect their
children from these effects.
National Volunteer Week is April 19
- 26.
Wayne reported for the Rainy River
District Cattlemen. There is to be a sale
at Stratton Salesyard on Saturday, April
18. Over 800 cattle have been listed to
date. Russell Richards, manager, is
planning on numerous improvements to
the yard this season. Next Cattlemen's
meeting is Wednesday, April 15 at 7:30
p.m. The RRCA WeighClub will have a
meeting at 6:30 p.m. the same evening.
Kristine, reporting for Ag in the
Classroom, announced that the banner
is finished and will be used at our
various displays throughout the year. A
number of schools have requested
fertile eggs for hatching. Shirley will
deliver these in the next week. Material
on Agriculture has also been asked for
by some schools and visits to local
farms will begin in May. AITC
committee have a busy year coming up.
As of April 1, fire permits are
necessary to burn in your incinerators as
well as grass and brush burns. Locally,
permits are two dollars.
In the future, if there is a mail strike,
Farm and Country will send all our
local subscriptions to the nearest
location point, if we call ahead and let
them know where that is. They did not
realize that Sault Ste. Marie and
Sudbury are 24 hours away. This all
comes from a comment that was made
in the December 1997 Rural Voice issue
under Rainy River District newsletter. It
caught their attention and they
apologized for being unaware of our •
geographic location. Once again: it
takes us five hours to drive to
Winnipeg, five hours to drive to
Thunder Bay, three hours to Duluth,
Minnesota and three hours to Dryden,
Ontario. Now this is driving a car at
legal speed and allowing for "rest"
stops. We are smack-dab in the middle
of God's Country.
Rainy River Rural Safety — Rick
Neilson, Tom and Shirley Morrish
attended the annual 25th Farm Safety
Association meeting in Niagara Falls,
MAY 1998 59