The Rural Voice, 2019-08, Page 6The Editor,
In regards to Rhea Hamilton
Seeger’s column on Kentucky Coffee
Trees (July 2019 issue of The Rural
Voice): I was also given Kentucky
Coffee tree seeds by John Hazlitt
about three or four years ago. I did
the scarification on a number of
seeds and planted into beer cups,
probably three seeds per cup.
Germination happened, and I
transferred the seedlings to large pots
and last summer transferred them to
my garden. This fall, I will likely
move the bigger (24" to 30" high
seedlings) to their final spot which
will be a river-flat area. Hopefully
the rest of the trees will be moved in
the fall of 2020.
There are web pages regarding
these trees and if my memory is
correct, there are 20 natural sites in
southwestern Ontario where the
Kentucky Coffee tree can be found.
Looks like Rhea and I will have sites
number 21 and 22.
Good luck Rhea. ◊
– Pete Rowntree
Hill & Hill Farms Ltd.
James Herriot fan
relives good
memories
The Editor,
As a reader of James Herriot for
many years, I’m envious of Lisa B.
Pot’s trip. I blame Herriot for luring
me into farming from a career in the
chemical industry. As a sheep farmer
with knowledge of replacing
prolapsed uteruses, (thank God only
sheep although I had cow/calf
prolapse at one point) the Herriot
books are a joy.
I’m an ex-Brit from 50 years back
so the scenery word-pictures bring
back many memories which are a
comfort on cold nights in the lambing
barn. I will do the trip one day in
combination with visiting relatives.
Maybe Lisa would like to follow
up with the Hanna Hauxell books of
Winter in the Dales. She is an author
of lesser fame but nevertheless her
books are a tribute to the dour
toughness of those people. Thank
you Lisa. ◊
– John Henstock, Amaranth, ON
It’s a carbon-free
and lightweight
wonder!
The Editor,
I just wanted to thank you for
bringing scything to my attention
(The Rural Voice, October 2018) in
your editorial.
I have had a good European
scythe for a few weeks now and I am
gobsmacked. It is a carbonless weed
wacker! This is nothing like the
experience in my younger years with
ill-fitted, dull, heavy devices that
dared to call themselves a scythe.
Great work with The Rural Voice
in general. The journalistic quality of
writing and subject matter has never
been better.
Cheers! ◊
– Chris Lee, Walton, ON
Who watches the
watchers?
The Editor,
I’ve farmed in the area for over 40
years and while some of what Kate
Procter says in her column (July
2019 issue of The Rural Voice)about
the conservation authorities is true, it
is not complete by far.
Part of the funding cutbacks are
due to agricultural organizations
pushing to have their mandate
pushed back to what it was 30 years
ago – advice to us and control of
their land not ours.
For example, the Gilmore’s lost
their house last fall to the
Conservation Authorities (CA) over a
building permit on their own deeded
land – and worse, the CA was
awarded costs of over $350,000 and
the family is now broke.
The old issue – who watches the
watchers?
It is not simply an issue of the
public purse – it is an issue of
control, and with ever-increasing
staff numbers they seek more
regulations and “control”.
Regards. ◊
– Kevin Doyle, RR 4, Tara, ON
2 The Rural Voice
Kentucky Coffee
tree planted in
more sites
Feedback
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Editor may be
sent to The
Rural Voice,
P.O. Box 429,
Blyth, On
N0M 1H0
~ In support of our community ~
Dungannon, ON • www.wwmic.com
519-529-7921
Please note
A revision to the fair date calendar
printed in the July Rural Voice
Chatsworth Fair
is a month earlier this year on
August 17th
The Rural Voice office
is closed for holidays
July 31
Reopening August 12
at 9:00 am
Deadline for the
September issue of
The Rural Voice is
August 21, 2019