Clinton News-Record, 1985-08-21, Page 69
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Thalen's bird farm star
By James Friel
BI .YTH - Spring at Thalen's hobby farm in
Blyth is the most interesting time of year.
Dozens of birds are mating and their
plumage and rituals are beautiful and
fascinating.
The pheasants, particularly the Silver,
Yellow Golden, Lady Amherst :;nd-
Malanistic mutants are probably the. most
colorful, and the male Copper pheasant, half
of the priciest pair of pheasants on the farm
is of a breed so aggressive they habitually
kill the females.
Not to be outdone, there are several
different breeds of chicken with various
comb and feather peculiarities and to
complete the diapason of color, one of the
pens contains a pair of peacocks, the male's
huge tail spread and rustling to attract the
female.
After mating, the males' most brilliant
plumage falls away, the noisy aggression is
slightly tempered - barring warnings to
'creatures venturing too near the nest - and
the pairs become involved in raising their
y
oun
Throughout this maelstrom Harm and
•Irene Thalen go about their chores, caring
for 15 kinds of pheasant, 25 kinds of
waterfowl and 45 different kinds of chickens.
These add up to several hundred birds,
including the small laying operation they
have in the larger barn to keep the barn
warm in winter and "to help pay for feed
and other expenses," said Harm;
They had a farm outside Blyth with 24,000
laying hens and 700 pigs, two stores,
apartments and. Blyth Transport with a
contract for Labatt's. It was all sold to give
them more time for those things which
really interested them.
The couple started the bird farm as a
hobby, something to do after they sold their
farm and other investments. It has
progressed to the point that Harm now says,
"It's starting to get too big. It's a little
bigger than a hobby; we work about as hard
• as we did on the farm."
They plainly enjoy working with the birds
but now that it is larger, it interferes with
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These geese were among the first to take their chicks, three of them, to the pond in the
waterfowl section of Thalen's farm. (James Friel photo)
the travelling they like to do.
But while it takes up a lot of time they'd
otherwise be spending travelling, it also
helpsthem meet people throughout Canada.
During a seven week. trip to Alaska after
the farm was started, much of their visiting
carne as a result of letters sent from bird
fanciers ordering the Blyth couple's stock.
Additional travelling will probably be
BLYTH
CHRISTIAN REFORMED
CHURCH
Rev. Roger Gelwicks
Service 10 a.m.
8 p.m.
Sunday School 11 a.m.
Cable TV Converters
and extra outlets
available at
LARRY'S RAL1IO & TV
Blyth 523-4559
BLTTU
BVI K room
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Thursday -Saturday 10 am -8 pm
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spent in much the same way, .visiting
different operations and talking to , the
Owners.
They receive orders for birds from across
•
the country. On May 23, they shipped our
orders via Air Canada, one each to 'Prince
Edward Island, New Brunswick, Manitoba
and northern British Cohuubia, Those four
were a portion of the response to an
advertisement in the newsletter'sent'out by
one of the associations to which the Thalens.
belong.
Fifty to'60 people ordered from the ad and
"there are still orders to go," said Irene.
"1 don't think we'll advertise anymore,"
said. Harm.
Thr F'nncy Feather AScnriitinn negate the
Thalens as members, and one of. the larger
operations going, though the Metro Zoo and
the African Lion Safari are also listed as
members. . •
"Two-thirds of the Members probably
have some for themselves," said harm, and
don't get too heavily into breedjng, raising
and showing birds.
Harm Thalen and his wife Irene have a bird hobby farm in Blyth with about 85 different
varieties of chickens, waterfowl and pheasants. Among the friendliest denizens are the
Emperor Geese. (Jaines Friel photo)
Harm said they had thought of showing
but rejected the idea. "We have enough to do
now," he explained. "We'll raise them and
let the -other. guy show them.." However,
they do go to shows in which their birds are
�hYnnn }w their new mmnnrc inct tn cep how
the animals place.
The waterfowl part has just been started
and an elaborate system has been created to
keep the birds at the farm. A cement pond
has been built with a bridge cutting across
the middle and the whole area, including
land s rc r the animals to,,nest on, has been
covered by black netting to prevent the
'avian creatures from leaving. For winter
months a machine has been installed to keep
the water surface continually moving to
forestall ice build up.
Several kinds of geese and'ducks live in
.the enclosure, including ..wood ducks,
Canada Geese and Emperor Geese, which
come, from the Arctic Circle and seem to be
among Harm's favorites. He's intrigued by.
the fact they are tamer than many of the
birds found/living near man.
"They I the waterfowl) should pay for
themselves this year. Everything else is
paying for itself," he said as one of the white
headed geese pulled at his oustretched hand.
This new construction was part of a
massive amount of work done after a buying
, foray in the United States. Suddenly Harm
and Irene had lots. of birds and no place to
put them.
.And now they are finding that perhaps,
with their future plans, and possible
responsibilities, the farm's size may be too
much. In fact, Irene and Harm have started
to look for capable people to take some of the
chicken breeds.
The two also like sharing their birds with
interested people. They invite visits with the
stipulationthat they be present and guests
clo not go through the fa>f•rn without their
•presence. 'They also request a calm attitude
as shouting or running can upset the birds.
A visitor to the Thalen's hobby farm in
Blyth will enjoy a good discussion and the'
beauty of some of North America and the
world's birds.
WI takes up collection for nursery school
LONDESBOIi.O - 'l'he W.I. Resolutions
and Hobby meeting was held August 14 at 8
p.m. The meeting began with the Opening
Ode. Mary Stewart collected the offering
and 0 Canada was sung with Mrs. E. •Wood
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at the piano.
President Mrs. Reg Lawson welcomed the
Members and the roll 'call of "what I do for a
hobby" was .answered by 12 members. The
minutes from the last meeting, the
treasurer's report and thecorresponuence
was read by the secretary -treasurer Mrs.
Don Buchanan. She also thanked Isabel,
Colson for the donation of $25 to the Lady
Diana Nursery School. An invitation was
extended to the members to attend the
Walton W.1 meeting on August21.
The president thanked the members for
their help at. the Huronview Birthday Party
and help with the festival supper on August
3. It was moved to donate $400 to the
Tornado Fund and $25 to the School Car on
Wheels ' in Sloman Park, Clinton. It was
moved to have a new W.I. crest made and it
was announced tickets are now on sale for
the W.I. quilt. This followed with a reading
by June Fothergill.
Helen. i,awson, the Tweedsmuir curator,
reported to the members of the London and
area W.I. curators workshop she attended at
Holmesville on August 13. Margaret Taylor
gave an interesting report on being ' a
,.delegate at the Triannual Convention of• the
Federated Women's Institute of Canada on
June 16 to 20 at the University of Western
Ontario in London.
A,
Mrs. Taylor also introduced the ,guest
speaker Harriett Boon of Jamestown. She
spoke on her hobby of spinning and we"ving
wool. She.showed the members how w dye
wool with plant roots, flowers, milkweed
and goldenrod. She also had a sample of her
work on display. Mrs. Boon was thanked and
presented with a• gift by Helen Lawson.
A contest conducted by June Fothergill
was won by Beryl Reid, —he meeting closed
with lunch served by Hazel Reid and Alice
Buchanan, Note the change in the meeting
date• for September. The meeting will be
held on September 3 at 8 p.m. at the Hullett
Township Office in order to attend the
council meeting. The members will return
to the regular meeting place for the
business.
• • Business
The church service will resume August 25
at 11 a.m. •The . Hope Chapel Memorial
Decoration service will be held on August 25
at 3 p.m. Rev. Dave Snihur of the
I,ondesboro United Church will be the g'uest
speaker.
People
Congratulations to Donald Ried and,Kim
Daer who were married in' God•eric\h on
August 17 at the Presbyterian Church. TheAk
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