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Times-Advocate, 1981-02-25, Page 15My old grandmother call- ed February the suicide month. The older I get, the more I appreciate her nickname for this most mis- erable of months. Although this year the weather has been unusually mild, it is just the thought that winter is far from over yet that makes it that much harder to bear. High winds as cold and wet as a dog's nose and just as probing still whine and howl through the bleak, black hardwood limbs in the bush behind the house. No Canadian will truthful- ly allow that winter is over. We hunker into our heavy coats and scarves and slog through the snow knowing full well that at least one more. probably two or three, storms will swoop relentlessly across the land. It's depressing. We have already beep through three months -some years four -of winter. I get snarky and morose in February. I'm sick of snowbanks, knifing winds, yellow snow, white snow, brown snow and black snow. Every time a supercillious television announcer says we are going to getfive cen- timetres of the "White stuff" 1 feel like punching him in the mouth. I'm even snarling at Ozzie, our playful. little Siamese cat. She doesn't know the winter is going on out there. A smart cat she won't even go outside the door: hasn't been out since the first snowfall. And why do those an- nouncers insist on calling it white stuff? Surely, there are more creative people FARMERS Centralia College of Agricultural Technology and area OMAF Personnelpre- sent the following CONTINUING EDUCATION SHORT COURSES March 2 (Monday) at Centralia College Corn Grain Storing, Conditioning and Drying This course will emphasize the drying and storing of corn. It is sponsored by MF Agri Builders, Exeter, On- tario and will feature guest speakers from Caldwell Manufacturing Company and Shivvers Enterprises Incorporated. March 4 (Wednesday) at Chesley Community Centre Beef Feedlot Management This course will emphasize the feeding value of by- products such as brewery grain and apple juice products and will look at feedlot management and the use of futures to control feed prices. A farm tour is port of the program. Contact OMAF Walkerton (881-3301) to reserve your lunch meal ticket. March 7 (Saturday) at Centralia College Sheep Flock Management The program will combine veterinarians, specialists and producers and will emphasize health, feeding and disease prevention. March 17 (Tuesday# at Hanoyer•'legi.n.Hall Dairy Herd Management ): '`r . The theme of the course is reproduction challenge and it deals with improving reproductive efficiency in the dairy herd. Contact OMAF Walkerton (881- 3301) or OMAF Markdale (986-2040) to reserve your lunch meal ticket. March 19 (Thursday) at Centralia College Farmstead Planning The course will deal with the principles of farmstead planning including building location, snow and wind control, energy considerations and expansion possibilities. Form contractors and farmers planning new construction should attend. For more information write or phone: Continuing Education Centralia College of Agricultural Technology, Huron Park, Ontario NOM 1x0 Ontario (519) 228-6691 Ministry Agrkvihme • and Peed available in those fancy new- srooms. Getting out of our long laneway becomes a real problem. Although we have a snowblower remove most of it after every snowfall, there is a buildup and we have to be careful not to dig through the crust or it will take another half-hour to get to work. I'm like a skunk in February. I feel like sleep- ing all the time so I never leave enough time to get out of the lane. I'm late more often than 1 like to be. My old-fashioned, Protestant work ethic keeps me punc- tual the rest of the year. To make matters even more depressing, along com- es Statistics Canada with that annual story on cash receipts for farmers. They do it every time. They only tell half the story: Farm cash receipts rose 11.1 per cent to $15.6 billion in 1980 from a year earlier. That's it. No mention of in- creased costs, just that farm income rose 11.1 per cent. Every city slicker in the na- tion reads those figures and comes to the conclusion that farmers are living high off the hog. tripping over sub- sidy cheques when they pick up the mail at the farm gate, if they can get through the snow. It must make farmers angry. StatsCan doesn't say that feed costs doubled during the same time period, that land costs keep escalating, that interest rates have hit farmers harder than any other sector of the economy, that fertilizer costs have doubled, that labor costs are up 10 to 15 per cent. In a recent study, a group of farmers was polled by statisticians at the Universi- ty of Guelph which houses one of Canada's best-known agricultural colleges. After those farmers paid themselves wages, they end- ed up with a rate of return of about 3.5 per cent on the capital invested. How many other people would stay in business with a return like that? These were profitable farms that were studied, too, commercial - scale farmers. Look at those huge profits racked up by oil companies in recent years and you wonder why anyone would be stupid enough to stay in agriculture. It is fortunate for Canadians that enough men and women love the land and the rural life tc remain in farming. If they weren't so good at what they do, half of this nation would be wander- ing around with distended bellies suffering from malnutrition. The trouble with too many part-time workers is that they're hired on a full-time basis. You're only young once, and after that you need other excuses. 1 /3 H.P. Sump Pump A sump pump bult to last! 1/3 H.P. Sump Pump will keep your basement dry effectively with its many out- standing features. Automatic adjustable float control, 115 volt motor. NENSALL DISTRICT CO-OP drucefleld Ivrkh Hensall 482.9823 2364393 262.3002 K -W FARMERS CLUB — The executive for the year 1981 for the Kirkton-Woodham Farmers club was named at the annual meeting Thursday afternoon. Back, left, management committee Harry Hern, assistant secretory -treasurer Ron Denham, past president Bill Spence and management committee members William Arthur, Burns Blackler and Clarence Thomson. Front, secretory -treasurer Rea Stephen, president Harry Weersink, vice-president John Scott and recording secretary David Wheeler. T -A photo Dividends increase Good year for K -W The year 1980 was another successful one for the Kirkton-Woodham Farmers club according to reports revealed at Thursday's an- nual meeting. Receipts over expen- ditures were listed as $162,- 513.12 compared to $141,- 266.25 for the previous year. Dividends paid to members on fertilizers and chemicals purchased amounted to $90,- 499.74. The amount for the year 1979 was $70,411.67. Over the past 10 years more than $408.000 has been returned to members in dividends. Secretary -treasurer Rea Stephen's report shows ;135,880.83 in the surplus ac- count. Stephen said the sur- plus at the end of 1970, only 11 years ago was $33,354. Beware of falls Falls account for ap- proximately one-quarter of all farm injuries. Most result from unsafe acts plus unsafe conditions. The chances of falling increase during the winter. Check work areas for obstacles and make sure that everyone working on your farm wears proper footwear. These sim- ple rules will help you stay on your feet this winter. The simple task of shovell- ing snow claims many lives each winter. Snow shovell- ing can be extremely strenuous. Many people who think they can handle the job fall victim to a heart attack. If you have a lot of snow to move. think of an alternative to shovelling. It could save your life. Winter maintenance of farm machinery pays year round dividends and can help prevent injuries. If you need replacement parts, order them now so that repair work can be completed before the spring rush. A thorough check of equipment now will help you avoid the frustration of a breakdown during spring planting. Len MacGregor, Extension Assistant Recording secretary David Wheeler commented that in a perusal of old records he found accounts receivable in 1936 were $516.37. Accounts receivable for 1980 were $127,764.39 at December 31. Since that time an additional $17,000 has been paid. In his president's message, president Harry Weersink said, The club has done a lot for its members over the past 30 years. We should influence our neighbors to join and take advantage of the benefits offered. Asked about the total membership at the present time, Rea Stephen said, "We have 395 members. There are probably about 300 of these that buy something each year." In his brief report, Gordon Poulton, manager of the Bank of Montreal in St. Marys said. "The club is lo be congratulated on their good profitability and tur- ning most of these monies back to their members. Talking about interest rates, Youlton said. "One needs to flip a coin to see which economist you listen to whether rates are to go up or down. The year 1981 is go- ing to be a crucial one for in- dustry and farming. Fer- tilizer prices will be alot higher by,Icpring." riTt. f The club again purchased a large amount of fertilizer last fall and this is available to members at the price paid at that time plus an interest rate of 18 percent per an- num. The salaries of secretary - treasurer Rea Stephen and his assistant Ron Denham were increased on recommendation of the management committee. Each man will receive a raise of 12 percent plus four percent for holiday pay bringing Stephen's salary to about $8.000 and Denham's to $4.965. Management committee chairman Jack Switzer said there was a lot more work for the two men especially because of the early purchase of fertilizer. President Weersink add- ed, "You couldn't find two persons more dedicated to their jobs than Rea and Ron.' Salaries of the manage- ment committee were also increased by $5 per meeting to $20 with recording secretary David Wheeler receiving an additional $25 per annum. The executive for 1981 is president Harry Weersink, vice-president John Scott, recording secretary David Wheeler. secretary treasurer Rea Stephen, assistant Ron Denham and We are now your area dealer for • Ralco Barn Cleaners featuring heavy duty chain adaptable to most cleaners Also a complete line of Beatty Stable Cleaner Parts Clay Farm Equipment ' Westeel Rosco Grains Bins and accessories For more information contact Brintnell Construction Ltd. RR 1 Granton, Ontario Phone Kirkton 229-8244 ATTENTION CORN GROWERS Monday, March 2, 1981 M.F. AGRI BUILDERS Will Be Holding A Seminar On Grain Storing, Conditioning, Drying A special emphasis will be placed on the drying and storing of corn. If you have ever had problems in this area plan to attend. We will have quest speakers from CALDWELL MANUFACTURING COMPANY and SHIVVERS ENTERPRISES INCORPORATED This event will be held at Huron Hall Centralia College of Agricultural Technology, Huron Park, Ontario MONDAY, MARCH 2, 1981 Registration 9:30 A.M. SFo You There! MP ,Mt Snuth P.0 Box 550 Exet,, Ontatto NOM 1S0 15191 2352120 club management committee Clarence Thomson, William Arthur, Harry Hern and Burns Blackler. A donation of $300 was made to the Kirkton Agricultural Society to be used for 4-H work. Times -Advocate, February 25, 1981 Page 15 Interim payment The Ontario Wheat Producers' Marketing Board has announced plans for an interim payment to producers on the 1980 crosof wheat. In making the an- nouncement, board chair- man Robert Butler, RR 2 Croton, said that an interim payment of $37.00 per tonne or $1.00 per bushel will be distributed to producers during the last week of February. The interim payment is in addition to the base initial price received by producers of $83.37 per tonne or $2.25 per bushel. The payment will be made on sales of wheat by producers from their 1980 crop commencing in July and up to January 31, 1981. Subsequent payments will be made on monthly producer sales for February, March, April, May and June as records are processed by the board. Producers have sold approximately 668,638 tonne of the 1980 crop to date, of which the marketing board has sold approximately 230,322 tonne in completed export contracts, and 281,652 tonne in completed domestic sales for human con- sumption, feed and seed. The volume sold by the board for export but not yet completed totals about 102,299 tonne and the volume sold for domestic use still to be completed amounts to about 6,000 tonne. Total board stocks unsold at the present time amount to 47,000 tonne. 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When a doer whose veh,cle ,s used fa busrless can rece,ve and send messages he rs less likely 10 do a lot of needless dnnrg mars simply because he can be told when a p,ck-up a delryery has been cancelled a when a new one has been requested A bus.nessrnan mak,ng calls can receve new ,ntormat,on that could affect a sale In other wOrds saves lrrne and keh,cle miles And that means money saved. espec.ally important these days min ns,ng costs 0 lanaven,c les and fuel Companies usmg Midland 2 way FM radio equ,prnent have found mai thee•Ile?r vehicle eff,c,ency has S,gnfhcantty "creased to etfectwe dollar Sanngs In fact some convenes nave reported a reducton ,n the number of verecfes requ�r ed to do the same amount or work atle, they started usrg 2 way rad* And on farms in logg,ng areas and heavy conslruct,on sitesdrivers can keep in touch over longer distances with no rhes' sagega'tl,-g -- IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN REDUCING DOWN-TIME OR WAITING TIME DURING SPRING PLANTING CONTACT REABURN ELECTRONICS R.R. 2, Dashwood Phone 294-6487 We Service What We Sell LIGHT AHD DARK RED KIDNEY BEAN CONTRACTS AVAILABLE NOW 1 Hensall 262-2527 Mitchell 348-8433 Granton 225-2360