Times Advocate, 1993-05-05, Page 32Aige12 TIAlet eidt0tllNl8.41./4093
ONE FOOT
IN THE FU.RR()W
By Bob Trotter
They are out there this month.
You will see the dust swirls behind
their tractors as you drive along
the highways and biways.
No matter how tough it waste
year -- and it was one of the worst
-wars in this :century for fanners --
ithey Will:be.on:the land with fire
iinidtteitraallies and hope in -their
'items.
-A-bad y ear likeaast warthogs
a lot ...Of :pnoblams into .this year,"
said any ifacming : friend -:in North
Waterloo. "The. after effects linger
lvngerthanaity people can figure.
"Weare lucking for a good year
weather-wise.in 1993 butsbatiis-
Antcr of.last year is not over. -.-For
tmwance, I milk about 50 cowsafd
ildlithatminiastamnmer.bad.athig
Affect :on imy:titay..':It'm -.auaimy
toveraresmderitilittlemearetattess
:
because sornethinr is ladkiegAin
that hay.
"I can't wait to get them on pas-
ture."
If the hay is lacking in vitamins,
then surely the grain was also.af-
fected. The corn crop is also under
question. I mean, how do you
plant on fields where last year's
crop is still standing in some plac-
es?
A couple of fanners I inter-
viewed said they can sec a lot
more soybeans being planted 'ibis
year for several reasons. One, it's
easier to plant them in those rav-
aged corn crops. In addition the
weather was so wet -last fall many
farmers were unable to plant win-
ter wheat so they will put soybeans
on that bare land.
If hay and grain were not as nu-
tritious as some fanners contend
then all livestock will be under
stress. Beef farmers, hog farmers
and the feathers industry will ,all
be hit by stressful condition.
So, when you see those people
out there on their tractors this
month, think about them. They
have just come through one of the
worst years in living memory and
they are at it again this year be-
cause hope springs eternal, espe-
cially in a farmer's breast.
You think this idea of a bad year
being con is hogwash?
"Not so," said friend. "A lot
of us were in the corn fields last
fall when we shouldn't have been.
We got stress in our livestock but
we also got stress in our machin-
ery. When you try harvesting in
that muck we had last fall, you're
bound to invite breakdowns in trac-
tors and combines. So we'll have
more repairs this spring.
"It's a vicious circle, isn't it?"
High repair bills mean less profit
so here we go again as the circle
continues.
All this will be compounded tow,
because senior govemnnents have
said in no uncertain terms that sub-
sidies will not be as high in .1993 as
they were last year, a record $700
million. It is expected that subsi-
dies will be down around $383 mil-
lion bemuse neither Ottawa nor
Queen's Park has any extra money
to throw around.
As well as worrying about crops
and prices, fanners are also puz-
zling about the Ontario proposal to
require all of therm to register end
pay $ 150 a year to qualify for gov-
ernment subsidies and services. Al-
though that provision -- about qual-
ifying for government grants --
may be dropped, the real reason be-
hind the idea is to provide stable
funding for the province's three
general farm organizations.
Although It Looked like a scene from the 1800's, last Tues-
day Jim Kerslake's barn on Highway 4 just south of Exeter
was dismantled by nearly 40 hardworking Mennonites. In
less than eight hours the large barn which Is over 100
years old, was brought down.
Ener value
of corn crop
to be studied
otypipH- -vain insustry
has honed to tlpenabr a scientific
study of the 'fig 1992' Ontario
etxn crop.
The Ontario Dom Producers' As-
sociedon, the Ontario Grain and
Feed Association and the Canadian
Feed ttittlttetry Aallootatlen are ftmd-
ing a reetttirch project by Prof.
Steve Leeson, Animaland Poultry
Scietttte, to etddy the energy value
of the map.
Corn is fbd to animals for energy.
Its energy value is related to the
number of pounds per bushel it ren-
ders. As the ears dry naturally on
the stalk, the kernels olehtl end
Rattlers get nae pound.el
at harvest.
Many fanners mlx'Nts * r'their
animals based on walliratabIished
formulas related to srtrltltOtINlMrel
weight. But this crop r, there's
little drying .Meting Ace ,in the
field.
Bushel
son anddpates "11 ,y lett' t
ft o
could be at least ' rcent lovas*
than normal.
To maintain a steady diet for
their animals, farmers may have to
supplement rations with either extra
corn or other energy sources such
as wheat. That could cause hard-
ships for farmers who sell corn for
feed - it will be worth less than nor-
mal - as well as fanners who buy it
for their animals, because they'll
also have to buy supplemental feed.
IiLA.T THI HIDE C0S:1
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BASED I N A FAMILY
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Electric $834.00
Propane $439.00
WI $.0Q
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HYDE BROTFIERS
FARM EQUIPMENT LIMITED
Jct. Old Hwy H7 & Mitchell Road 81 Wellington St
Rannoch 229-5700 Hensail 262.2605
This spring come to Thompsons for your
complete crop system....
FE EFFIIENT - Our Agronomic/Marketing
service will helpyoulilanyour strategy.
BEAWARE - of the ingredients -you -need to
ensure high elds - Micro -nutrients, Fertil er;crop
Protection Products and soil testing are all available at
Thompsons
SES NFIIYENT - Hyland BrandCertified
Seed has been tested throughout North America and Europe to
ensure high yields, standabilityiproper maturity and reliable
grain quality. A full line of corn,aoybeans, white beans,
wheat, barley, oats and forages etre available from Hyland.
BEREAILDY -cuuretime by using our Custom
Application service. We have Tru -spread, air flow or liquid
spreaders. Our Weed and Feed program is available for
pre -plant or post plant application. Have your herbicides and
nitrogen applied in one trip over the field. Also we have 5 and
8 tonne dry spreaders, split applicators and delivery
equipment for rent.
{
Crop "'sips
'Tinting the Key to Good Pesticide Performance.
Re -Publication 75
Time of herbicide Treatment in Crop
Areas
..r The susceptibility of both crops and
weeds to herbicides is related to the time of
application. Therefore, it is important to use
the chemical at a time when the crop is at
its maximum xviiiesFe and the weeds are
,at their maximossapeseeptikeiliiy. This time
1. Identify pest early
2.1s it a problem or may it become a problem
3. identify allajternatives
4. VOssie tAll4lt+ .ppt 1,04
will vary depending on the crop involved and
the herbicide being used.
+r This statement is in fact true for most pesti-
cides. Along with crop tolerance one must also
pay attention to pre -harvest interval, when con-
sidering insecticides and/or fungicides.
•r Proper timing of application depends on
many things - a.few are listed below.
5. What are the costs of treating
6. Identify alternative which provides best val-
;',Availability of treatment if necessary
i0 Apply -according to label.
. 1l our tkr,+ h,tvf ,i .G, Thompyl'n:4d &ivAM.
r
r,r+;- rirn,r+
Sasforth tioncall Mitchell ,Ails -9qint9n Pt, Albert
-345.2545 262.2627 3484843.3 .2934222 21309 #28-7581