The Rural Voice, 1999-08, Page 64GREY
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1P9
Email: grey@ofa.on.ca Website: www.ofa.on.ca/grey 519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551
• The Rural Voice is provided to all Grey
County Farmers by the GCFA.
A farmer's version of the "Sunscreen" song
Farmers and of the class of '99:
Wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you only one tip
for the future, sunscreen would be it.
The Tong -term benefits of sunscreen
have been probed by scientists,.
whereas the rest of my advice has no
basis more reliable than my own
meandering experience. I will
dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and the beauty of
your farm. No other profession is so
crucial to mankind. No other calling
is so noble than being a farmer. Why
Is it so many people, young and old,
will sacrifice everything they have
and can borrow against, to be a
member of this group called farmers?
Don't worry about the future. The
prices you receive for your efforts,
are the rewards for that management
and labour. The returns for that
product are yours alone to accept or
reject.
Try one new crop or management
practise every year.
Don't be reckless in your
borrowing. Your neighbour's
expansion is his to repay.
Don't be jealous or ashamed. Your
home and business is your castle. All
situations have different
circumstances and timing.
Remember your achievements and
luck. Not all prices come from
growing the right crop. Sometimes
it's luck that your hay didn't get
rained on and your faith in God.
Don't feel guilty with your life if
GREY COUNTY FEDERATION OF
AGRICULTURE
PLEASE NOTE:
Directors' Meeting for
August has been
CANCELLED!
NEXT MEETING WILL BE
Thursday,
September 30, 1999
8:00 p.m.
OMAFRA Boardroom, Markdale
Members are welcome to attend.
60 THE RURAL VOICE
you can't retire at 55. What other
profession can you call the shots
when you work and when to quit.
There is no retirement age.
Raise as many of your own needs
as feasible. Your job is your life. Sow
a garden, drink your milk, cut your
own logs for lumber.
Maybe you'll marry, maybe you
won't. Your choices are half chance.
But if you should have a good
partner, you are a company. Anyone
who works as labour, will never be
that company.
Enjoy your rewards. That may be
a pond or cottage at the back of your
farm. That may be good prices to buy
new equipment. But it also must
include a vacation.
Young farmers: The Sunscreen
Song.
Don't be discouraged. "No one
can start farming" or so they have
said for all generations.
Don't read only one "how to"
book or take only advice from the
government. Why aren't they farming
if they know so much?
Travel and work for someone else
at a different job. You will gain
experience and be a better employer.
Schooling doesn't give you an
education. It is all theory and given
choices. Life is not like that.
Respect your elders. Their advice
comes from a lifetime. They have
probably been there and done that.
For every product, have two
buyers. That way you won't be
concerned with corporate agriculture.
Advice is a form of nostalgia.
Dispensing it is a way of fishing the
past from the disposal, wiping it off,
painting over the ugly parts and
recycling it for more than it's worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen.0
— Adapted from the
The Sunscreen Song by Mary Smich
—Submitted by Ken Furlong
GCFA Past -President
HOLLAND TOWNSHIP
FEDERATION PICNIC
Sunday, August 15, 1999 - 2:00 p.m.
Massie Community Centre
Please bring meat to barbecue,
ball gloves, lawn chairs
For information call
Gilbert Van Eck 794-4898
Developing Rural Community as if
People Matter
A dynamic presentation by:
Bill and Judy Heffernan
Bill is Professor of Rural Sociology at University of Missouri. Judy is Executive Director of Heartland Network
for Town and Rural Ministries in the mid -west USA. Both have been publicly recognized for their dedication
to finding solutions 10 the problems facing rural communities. They have carried out extensive research,
conducted numerous seminars, and published many works.
You can do something positive!
• Learn about the "big picture" of trends in agriculture which affect all of the
rural community.
• See how rural and urban people can find workable alternatives to support
small family farms and businesses.
• Learn about using existing rural institutions as the base for positive action.
Knights of Columbus Hall
(Hwy. 4, West of Hanover)
Monday, August 23 — 7:30 - 10:00 p.m.
Sponsored by the Grey and Bruce Federations of Agriculture
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