Times Advocate, 1994-06-08, Page 24Page 24 Times -Advocate, June 8, 1994
And the winner is...
Penny Sale organizer Iva Reid lets M.P.P. Paul Klopp pick the winning ticket on the toy trac-
tor sponsored by Hyde Brothers. The sale was held by the Hensall Legion. Larry Uyl, presi-
dent, assists the event.
One Foot in the Furrow
By Bob Trotter
Farmers optimistic
For winter's storms and ruins are over.
' And all the season of snows and sins;
The days dividing lover and lover,
The light that loses, the night that wins;
And time remembered is grief forgotten,
And frosts are slain and flowers begotten,
And in green underwood and cover
Blossom by blossom the spring begins."
With apologies to Swinburne, that English poet of the last century whose life
was as disorderly as the winter snows.
It is, unquestionably, one of the best times of the year for farmers, the late
spring when fields have been sown and the sweet signs of germination are visi-
ble in the land. Our 90 -day Canadian growing season has just begun and that
wonderful air of optimism spreads like the sun from behind the cloud, across
each field and into the minds of the men and women who toil in the fields.
Most of the pressuring has been lifted by this time of year because, if most
of the seeding is not completed by the first week of June, the rest could run
into frost damage in September. It is a time to stop and take a deep breath for
most farmers, a time to reconnoiter before the haying starts.
The cold, wet late spring this year made the planting season a hectic time for
many farmers. They needed at least three eyes: one to watch ahead of the trac-
tor, another to watch behind the tractor and a third to keep an eye on the sky. l
noticed several tractors in our area bogged down in the fields as operators took
a few chances when the land was wet.
It is, of course, another great sign that farmers are among the most optimis-
tic people in the world. Farm gate prices can be low. Bankers can be crusty.
Mother nature can double-cross with lousy weather. Manufacturers can be tar-
dy in getting parts to dealers. Muscles unused to being used 15 or 16 hours a
day can scream about torture. But farmers will gleefully, delightfully ignore all
of it to get this year's crops sown.
I have never been a tull-time farmer but I can remember with relish when,
on our little hobby farm, the permanent pasture became green and lush and the
supren►e satisfaction of watching crops and fields come to life spread like a
spiritual awakening through my body.
It is easy to understand at this time of year as new life sprouts all around
them why farmers are close to God. In my book, they are wearing the shiny ar-
mor of saints even though the armor consists of bib overalls and a tractor hat
with a feed company logo above the peak.
1 do not know where the quote originated but 1 read it in the Winchester
Newsletter of Women for the Survival of Agriculture. The newsletter, by the
way, is one of the most refreshing pieces of literature to cross my desk on a
regular basis. It is edited by Dawn Runnalls and Barbara -Ann Glaude of RR2,
Winchester.
"There is no better demonstration of faith than someone planting a seed in a
field."
The same newsletter presented a little prayer worth repeating.
"Dear Lord, give me the patience and wisdom to understand why a pound of
steak at S5 is too high but a three -ounce cocktail at $5 is acceptable. And Lord,
help me to understand why S7 for a movie is not bad but S7 for a bushel of
wheat that makes 50 loaves of bread is considered unreasonable.
"Thank you. God, for your past guidance. I hope 1 can make sense out of
this, and please God. send some guidance to the politicians."
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Blyth gears up for
5th Rutabaga
Festival
BLYTH - As the last weekend of
June arrives the village of Blyth
will come alive, not only with the
opening of the 20th season of
Blyth Festival but with all the peo-
ple turning up to join in the fun of
the annual Rutabaga Festival.
Celebrating its fifth anniversary,
this year's event boasts family en-
tertainment and variety. Organiz-
ers Mildred Ament and Brenda
Burkholder say it promises to be a
full weekend of activities to de-
light and amuse people of all ages.
The kick-off begins Friday, June
24 with the first ever Rutabaga
Festival Car Rally, with registra-
tion at Hubbard's Rutabaga Plant.
Committee member Joannette
McNeil says 'rutabaga riddles'
will guide the drivers and passen-
gers along the route.
- Saturday is non-stop from, morn-
ing until night, beginning with the
Early Bird Sale and Busker's Fes-
tival and ending at the Blyth Com-
munity Centre where everyone can
kick up their heels to the country
and western tunes of "Guitars and
Cadillacs", a Dwight Yolkam trib-
ute band.
In between there are numerous
family events centred around the
arena and fairgrounds. In addition
the Rutabaga Parade starts at 11
a.m. beginning at Hubbards. "With
marching bands, Shriners, the Can-
adettes and many local entries the
parade will be a major highlight of
the festival," says McNeil.
The pace slows down just a little
on Sunday with the fishing derby,
a puppet show and a performance
by a Christian rock group, "New
Perception" to wind off the busy
weekend.
Will the crops catch
up in warmer weather?
Agriculture ministry says
Huron is about a week
behind in its 1994
growing season
CLINTON - Local farmers are finding their crops
about a week behind, as compared to a normal first
week of June.
A cold, wet, and windy spring has not only de-
layed planting of many crops, but has slowed emer-
gence to the point where some yields may be hurt
by harvest.
Brian Hall at Clinton's Ontario Ministry of Ag-
riculture, Food, and Rural Affairs said that as of
Thursday, Huron County had received about 485 de-
gree days, about a hundred behind normal.
"We're about a hundred growing degree days be-
hind normal. That amounts to about a week behind
normal," said Hall. "The concern will be whether
we catch up those heat units."
Some farmers are electing to cut their first crops
of hay, even though the yield will be only two-thirds
or three-quarters of normal. However, Hall said de-
laying the first cut any more would only hurt the
second or third cuts.
On many farms, growers are just finishing plant-
ing their soybeans or starting the white bean plant-
ing, again delayed because of wet weather. In the
south part of the county, the situation has been
worse, said Hall, due to higher rainfalls.
"People had been planting around the wet spots,"
he said, noting for some farmers, they didn't get
ideal planting weather until the long weekend.
Some farmers, forced to wait for better weather,
chose to switch their corn planting to soybeans.
"There's been a little of that adjustment," said
Hall, and noted that continues to play havoc with
planned crop rotations, some of which are still off
target after the disastrous 1992 season.
"We're just trying to get back on track."
Windy mornings have been preventing some
farmers from spraying their crops for weeds, and
the overall cool spring has delayed emergence of
soybeans and corn.
Although Hall said corn has a better chance of
bouncing back, the soys' overall yield could be
spotty.
If there is a bright spot for Huron's farmers, its
that most winter wheat crops thrive in the cool
weather, "and it looks excellent right now," said
Hall.
Will the below-average temperatures continue
through the summer? Probably not, said Hall.
"The spring is never usually a good indication of
what the summer's weather is going to be like...so
that's the positive view of it," he said, adding that a
better idea of the summer should be available by
the end of the month.
Spreading
those
groceries a
little further
LONDON - Some Ontario
grocery stores are recycling
stale fruits and veggies by
sending them right back where
they started. As part of a Green •.•
Plan project, composted food
waste from grocery stores is.1
gathered and spread back on
the fields as an organic fertiliz-
er.
Farmers are applying the
compost on a few hectares and
Agriculture and Agri -Food
•Canada scientists wilt` rrferitiQ 4
soil and water quality. If the
program is successful, grocery
stores could save money in
garbage fees and landfill sites
could be prolonged.
New canota
OTTAWA - Agriculture and
Agri -Food Canada is monitoring
the progress of a new variety of ca-
nola that has its own built-in de-
fense mechanism. The new canola -
developed by a company called
Agrevo - is special for two reasons.
First, it's resistant to a herbicide
that's very effective in controlling
weeds and secondly, the resistance
was transferred to the canola plant
through genetic engineering. This
new canola is about to undergo its
first year of seed multiplication.
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NISA forms arriving
CLINTON - Producers who at-
tended the special NISA informa-
tion meeting on March 24, at Cen-
tralia College received the good
news early. This year's enrolment
forms will be much easier to fill
out.
Most of the numbers needed are
easily found on your 1993 Farm-
ing Income and Expense State-
ment that was sent to Revenue
Canada. This information is then
transferred to NISA's new NO -
CAL Short Form which is only
four pages long and does not re-
quire any depq it/withdrawal cal-
culations.
For most applicants the process
should take only 3-4 hours and
NISA can be reached at 1-800-
665-6472 if you havd technical'
questions.
This year, NISA calculates your
Eligible Net Sales along with your
Deposit/Withdrawal Options. The
participant will be issued an Op-
tions Notice and asked to return
the detachable portion. Once re- 'No
ceived NISA will issue a Confir-
mation Notice detailing your ac-
count transactions.
NISA has developed computer
software which enables you to file
your application on diskette. A
copy is available free of charge by
calling NISA toll-free.
The annual Administrative cost
remains at $40. Starting this year,
the fee will be automatically de-
ducted from your account. Do
NOT send money with your appli-
cation.
The application deadline for the
1993 stabilization year is July 31,
1994. Forms are available hi 'the
Clinton Field Office for farmers
who have not previously partici-
pated in NISA.
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