The Rural Voice, 1987-11, Page 68GREY COUNTY Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1P9 519-364-3050
FEDERATION NEWS
by Don Hill
Much of our time at the last direc-
tors' meeting was devoted to an in-depth
discussion of the proposal to restructure
the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.
While we all recognize that the OFA
must reduce its operation costs, we do
not support the proposal to reduce the
number of directors or in any way de-
crease the present level of individual
member representation at the Ontario
level. Your Grey County directors also
feel that the present representation of
affiliated commodity groups and their
allotted voting delegates is a good bal-
ance and a strong point of the OFA.
At the county level we appreciate
our rather informal relationship with the
OFA. Our formal relation is through our
three regional directors. While they
represent the OFA members from Grey
on the Ontario board, Grey County has
made them members of our board and
our official link with the OFA. From all
this you will gather that we in Grey are
quite satisfied with things just as they
are within the federation.
GOOD-BYE MARY
Mary Harvie has served as secretary
of the Grey and Bruce County federa-
tions in such a capable and pleasant way
that many of us find it hard to remember
when Mary wan't the friendly voice of
the Grey federation when we dialed
364-3050. The few times that Mary
didn't have the answer to our questions,
her concern and understanding assured
us that someone was working hard for
each of us in the Grey federation.
It doesn't seem adequate, but thanks
Mary, and best wishes to you, Don, and
your family.
Welcome Donna: Ournewsec-
retary is Donna Spitzig. We look for-
ward to working with Donna and want to
extend a warm Grey County welcome to
a Bruce County native.
Grey County directors meet next on
November 18 in the OMAF boardroom
in Markdale.0
IPM REFLECTIONS:
A funny thing happened on the way to the plowing match,
or how I met Cousin Clem:
by Roger Lamont
Grey County Cattlemen
March, 1986: 21 directors of the Grey
County Cattlemen's Association agree to set
up a booth to sell barbecued beef on a bun.
September 15, 1987: I am sitting in a line
of traffic wondering if 18 months of planning
is going to be worth all the bother of fitting so
many details together to at least break even.
Numerous vehicles pull out of line and drive
down the wrong lane past the OPP. As 1
creep by, I ask, "How come you didn't ticket
those people?" The officer sheepishly re-
plied, "We didn't bring our ticket forms but
we will be laying charges tomorrow."
Unless you participated as a committee
member or an exhibitor, you couldn't possi-
bly imagine the logistics of setting up the
IPM in a hay field where, in late August, we
watched John Lowe harvesting hay.
By September 14, more than 500 sites
were filled, each with the option of hydro,
hot and cold running water, garbage pickup,
and even telephone service.
Congratulations must surely go to Russ
McCutcheon and his committee chairpeople
for arranging and putting on a truly fine show
for every taste, whether urban and rural.
Speaking of logistical exercises, did you
66 THE RURAL VOICE
know it takes four litres of horseradish a day
for 1,000 beef -on -a -bun customers? Would
any Rural Voice reader know how to dispose
of 972 coffee -cup lids or a 10 -year supply of
salt and pepper packages?
But back to the match. Disaster struck
right away. The directors had agreed to buy
a 10 -foot diameter helium balloon and we
were going to write on it to attract attention.
We put about $80 worth of helium into it and
were struggling to hold itdown while writing
with a marker pen that was supposed to be
suitable when BANG, our whole advertising
budget went wafting towards Meaford, leav-
ing only bits and pieces of our $67 balloon.
As 1 look back on this misfortune,1 suppose
it is similar to sending the hired help out one
day and he or she promptly runs over the
chain harrows — all in a day's work on the
average farm.
We told our customers as they were
munching their hot beef to be sure to visit our
display of beef by-products in the Grey
County tent. Preparing this display was an
experience in itself. The exhibit was to
centre around a model of a beef animal. We
enquired all over Ontario to find one. There
was an offer of a custom-made steer at $900
or a concrete cow weighing 650 pounds at
$189 — which turned out to be a dairy breed.
Time was flying by, and one day my son
came back from Meaford and said, "Dad, 1
saw one near main street." I rushed over next
day, and sure enough, there it was: four feet
high, five feet long, weighing 60 pounds —
a fabric -covered model of a Hereford steer.
Many heartfelt thanks to the owner of the
Sirloin Cellar for the loan of "Fred" for the
week.
By the way, did you know that ox -blood
shoepolish really uses bovine blood as a dye?
Among the problems of inexperienced
people operating a catering booth was wor-
rying about health and safety regulations.
Nobody said anything about fire exting-
uishers but luckily we located one when
asked to. The health inspectors didn't give
us a hard time. We also appreciated the use
of the refrigerated truck belonging to the buf-
falo -burger people next door. For some
reason, we were not allowed to bring our
own diesel -powered truck unit onto the
match site.
There was scarcely enough time to see
the machinery exhibits, much less the actual
plowing. But all was not lost. On the
Monday night preceding the opening, my
wife and 1 returned home late from adding
last-minute touches to find our two hungry
kids and a complete stranger. He informed
us that he was a coach from York County and
would be staying with us for the week!
This was news to us. We quickly made
some alternate sleeping arrangements and
carried on. This retired gentleman was a
former Canadian plowing champion and had
more practical plowing knowledge in his
little finger than I will accumulate in a life-
time. He described to us at great length each
minute of the plowing competition. Hearing
this each night after a long day at the site has
probably turned me off competitive plowing
forever, but 1 did learn that it costs the com-
petitor 10 points if the coach stands on the
back of the plow to get it to penetrate.
In the middle of the week, the home
economist from the Beef information Centre
showed up without motel accommodation.
With more shifting of sleeping arrange-
ments, we managed to fit her in.
Oh yes, Cousin Clem. 1 was curious
about a van with a Florida plate and a Siesta
Key tag. We have relatives who live near
Siesta Key. One morning a man was sorting
through laundry at the back of the van. I
asked if he knew who owned it. Without
turning around he said, "Yes, why?" 1 told
him 1 knew the Siesta Key area and that I just
wanted to give a special welcome to some-
one who had driven 1,500 miles.
Imagine my surprise when he turned
around and I found myself face to face with
Gordie Tap.O