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Times-Advocate, 1985-09-11, Page 10Page 10 Times -Advocate, September 11, 1985 Next few days become critical Wet, humid weather puts white beans in jeopardy (;rowing white beans is always a gamble. When good weather and good prices coincide, the gamble pays off handsomely, but when Lady Luck withdraws her favours, bean pro- ducers are in trouble. The next two weeks will decide the fate of the 1985 crop. After a meeting on Monday among representatives of the field crop in- dustry and OMAF personnel, farm management specialist Brian Hall in TALKING ABOUT IMPLEMENTS — Earl Becker, Doug Ford, Bill Weber and Chuck Ford talk to John Becker of V.L. Becker and Sons at Thursday's Red Power Day sponsored by the Dashwood International Harvester -Case farm machinery agency. T -A photo It's a township road, unpaved, dus- ty. Since March of this year, I have been walking three miles along that road every day. When you're pushing 60, the old body begins to wear out. I had an artery replaced in February and was told by the medical people to walk every day. A good idea since the most exercise I get is pulling myself up to a typewriter or simply throwing a saddle on the old mare once or twice a week. So I walk along the road in front of our house. It is a dangerous way to get exer- cise. Let me tell you about it. Tonight about 30 cars passed me. At least three of them were driven by young maniacs who should not be allowed behind the wheel of a vehicle. I know they were young because I saw them. One vehicle was deliberately pointed right at me. I backed into the tall grass before the drier suddenly yanked the wheel and pulled the vehi- cle to the centre of the road. A burst of derisive laughter came from the Cattlemen ask tripartite plan Cattlemen in Huron, Bruce and Perth have urged the federal cabinet to implement the policy of tripartite stabilization for the beef cattle industry. At a meeting attended by 150 cat- tlemen from the three counties, the resolution wAs passed unanimously and was sent to Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Agriculture Minister John Wise. Under the signature of Iluron Cat- tlemen's Association president Ross Procter and Ontario Cattlemen's Director Glenn Coultes, the federal authorities were advised that "a coalition of 90 percent of the cattle and 85 percent of the cattle producers in Canada is sufficient concensus for legislation". This matter is very important to the beef industry in Canada and we urge your support", they wrote. ad- ding "we expect your decision on this matter mid-September as previously committed by the Federal Minister of Agriculture the Honourable John Wise." driver and two young people in the car with him. I repeat: I know they were under 25 because I saw them. It was perhaps the tenth or twelfth time in a few months that much the same thing has happened to me along our so-called quiet stretch of country road. It is not my imagination. I am too old to imagine that someone is out to get me. This foolishness on the road is a game these people play. I just hap- pened to be one of the props in the game. At first, when I came into the house after my walk and kept the air blue with angry words, my wife said I was a mean, crotchety, irascible old man, paranoid in my convalescence. But recently, she began walking with me. She has joined my club. About a year ago, three young peo- ple were klled in this area when a 21 -year-old driver slammed his vehi- cle into a group of young people on a hayride. It is no longer safe to get right off the road. As this is written, a youth in Montreal has been charged with driving his car right into a bus stop killing two people. And now we are told that, through the Ontario Human Rights Commis- sion that insurance companies may no longer charge extra premiums for young people under 25. I am dead against this decision. After thisspring and summer, I think insurance premiums should be even higher than they are. In fact, I would happily sup- port any movement to increase the age limit from 16 or 18 or even 21 when young people can get a driver's licence. I was a working reporter for more than 25 years and saw too many ac- cidents, too many bodies strewn along the road, too many ruined lives, not to support a plan to make it tougher for young people to drive. They simply do not seem to realize that driving is a privilege, nota right; that they have a lethal weapon in their hands every time they get behind that wheel. What does it take to impress upon them that they are potential killers, that one split-second of foolishness behind a wheel can snuff out a life? 1 support the action of insurance companies to get higher premiums from young people. Becker's Farm Equipment Extends a sincere thankyou to our friends and customers who helped make our recent RED POWER DAY An outstanding success A special thanks to our host, Mr. Don Rader, the special equipmentsuppliers ,the manufac- turer's reps., the volunteers and our staff. A JOB WELL DONE Congratulations to Red Power Day Draw winmers: Earl Datars, Dashwood Ron Vanderboek Lucan Gerald Smith Parkhill John Jacobs Zurich Ron Masschelein Parkhill Howard Datars Dashwood Phil Dietrich Crediton Oswald Steeper Parkhill. Stop in or call to learn more >t n4 about the best of_, both worlds s;sr V.L. Becker & Sons Ltd CIIII1111 519.237-3242 or 519-237.3673 Hwy. 83 West, Dashwood, Ontario 53 Years of Sales d Service Evenings 519.237-3653 (Rill) 519 236 4784 (Ralph) 519.238-5445 (Bob) • 1 It would be disciminatory to make older people pay for the mayhem caused by young and foolish drivers. the Clinton OMAF ottice reported that white beans in Huron are at a critical stage. The primary concern is sprouting, which is occurring in many fields. This will -mean a financial loss when beans are delivered to the elevators. Though color is variable, only a few incidents of white mould have been reported so far in the county, despite the wet, humid conditions experienc- ed over the last few weeks. Hall said the potential still exists for a good 1985 crop if it can be harvested, but quality is declining. Some bean fields are "awfully wet" and the nor- thern part of the county has received even more rain than further south. Some mixed grain and barley that had been swathed before the rains began is also sprouting. "We need a month of good weather, starting now", Hall said. "It's been a tough summer. At one time this area was ahead in heat units but now it's behind." The first of the 1985 bean crop has begun to trickle into local•elevators. Bill Harvey, chief executive officer at Cook's, reports the quality and colour of initial loads received at both Cen- tralia and Hensel) were surprisingly , good, considering the amount of rain that has fallen recently. Moisture con- tent was 20.5 and the pick count was quite low. Hensall branch manager Lloyd Whitesell said W.G. Thompson and Sons, had received one load from the Kippen area at the Hensall mill, and six loads had been brought to the Kirkton facilities from London township. The moisture content was 20 percent, and yields were low. Ben van Den Akker at the Hensall Co-op said the few beans received there had a high moisture content. Beans tend to mature at the same time as the weather patterns are changing from summer to fall, and this year the crop is caught in the middle, van Den Akker remarked. Producers are paying close atten- tion to the weather forecasts. If the predicted change to cooler, drier weather materializes, those who bet on white beans this year will receive their reward. FLOODED — Area bean fields, some as close to a drain as this patch, hove been hit by heavy rains and high humidity over the past week. Farmers are hoping for a quick reverse to the weather conditions to salvage this year's crop. PUMP REVERSED — Through the dry spell in August, the cole crop fields at the fruit and vegetable stand in Elginfield were irrigated. After a deluge on Sunday morning, the pump was reversed to pump water out of the flooded fields. You Can Deal With Confidence When You Deliver Your 1985 White Bean Crop. to Ken R. Campbell & Sons Ltd., Seaforth Howson & Howson Ltd., Blyth, Ontario Palmerston Elevators Ltd. Bar' B - Dee Farms, RR 1 Bornholm are also white bean receiving satellites for Thompson's We want and appreciate your business Hyland Augusta Seed Wheat again the top yielder Followed by Hyland Howser Seed Wheat Be sure you buy Blue" -Tag Seed Only This assures you of "Certified" #1 Seed for "Purity" - "Quality" and "Top Yields." Any other facsimile is not the same. Available only at Thompson's or a Hyland Dealer Also there is Cert. #f1 Fredrick seed wheat. For larger growers wishing Certified seed in Bulk we can supply. Please order ahead. ALL SEED IS. TREATED WITH VITAFLO 280" • Custom Fertilizer Spreading - Soil Sampling Service - Computerized Reports - Recommendations from a Qualified Staff For purity, top germination, disease free Sow only Certified Hyland Seed Hensall 262-2527 1, O ' SEAMS Mitchell 348-8433 (r' r) 0 0 O Granton 225-2360 PIRTILIZIRS Ailsa Craig 293-3223 Port Albert 529-7901