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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1978-09-07, Page 29THE GODE.RICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7,1978 --PAGE 9A Bert Mills of Goderich shows this White Cochin prize bird, just one of many he has raised over the past 50 years to be shown at exhibitions and fairs. He exhibited his birds just this past weekend at both the Bayfield. Fair and the Kincardine Fair. He started his hobbywnot long after he -moved to Goderich from his father's farm.near Auburn in 1924. (Photo by Joanne Walters) BY JOANNE WALTERS By now, most of you have' read `the story on Donald the Goose by Jim Hagarty. That story is about a girl who,keeps a goose-- who doesn't know he's a goose --as a pet. This story also con- cerns a person who' is interested in man's fine feathered friends but in a different manner and for different reasons. J. Burton Mills . of Goderich has been raising and exhibiting his ,prize poultry at fairs and shows for. more than 50 years now. In fact, just this • past weekend he showed his birds at both _ e ya �e . . _ . ....g'd`t i' Kincardine Fair. It's just 'a hobby, says Mr. Mills, but one which he truly loves. As a boy, Mr. Mills lived pn a farm near Auburn. His father just had some laying hens so he didn't really get in- terested • inhis poultry hobby by being a farm - boy as one might suspect: It was after he moved to town in 1924 that he picked up his hobby. It was then that he became acquainted with William Carter of Londesboro who raised poultry and was a poultry judge. His in- terest in birds was in- fectious and soon Mr. Mills found himself purchasing some birds from him to raise and show. Mr. Mills remembers showing his first birds in London at the Western Fair in 1927. He recalls having "a good win" although he can't remember exactly what he won since it was so long ago. He hasn't shown his noultr t_- he W- , ,, fair, t e Royal Winter Fair of the CNE in Toronto for several years. He shows mostly around the ' local, area now. The main reason for this is a transportation problem. He used to ship his -birds to the various shows by rail but this is no longer allowed. Throughout his years of raising poultry in his backyard as a hobby, Mr. Mills continued to work at the Purity•Flour Mill. He worked there for 38 years. The . mill was closed down in 1963. Mr. Mills feels that when it comes to raising poultry, "experience is the best teacher". But he also reads up on the subject and has one book called Standard of Perfection which he says is "a chicken man's bible". "You have to know quite a bit about raising exhibition chickens," he claims admitting to a few problems with • his birds over the years. "I never knew there was so much to hens until Mrs Mills_ S e says she- has hehas never really had too much to do with looking after her husband's birds but she thinks they are pretty and says the baby chicks are "the dearest little things." Mr. Mills has bantam birds at present including White Wyandottes, Buff Rocks, Buff Wyandottes and' Rhode Island Reds. He has a hen house and two incubators to keep the chicks warm since he uses his own birds as supply birds. He just feeds them ordinary feed and says the trick to raising' prize birds is in the breeding. Every type of bird is judged differently. The judges look for' defects such as offcolored feathers. The exhibitor himself must have an eye -ort- for such-defects..and_ tray to correct them if possible. Besides .:.bein.g. _ a -n - exhibitor, Mr. Mills has also been a judge at poultry shows. Right now he is also teaching about five men who are in- terested in his knowledge of raising and exhibiting prize poultry. He is a member of the Huron County Poultry, Pigeon and Pet . Stock Association ,.(H.C.P.P.P.S.A.) which has been in existence for about four years now. He was recently honored at a picnic held by this association •to acknowledge the "tremendous con- tribution" he has made to .the poultry fancy over the years. Many of the now famous exhibitors of poultry got their start right in Mr. Mills' backyar-d, say association members. Mr. Mills is looking forward . to the association's show which will be held in Woodstock on September 30. When asked how many ribbons and trophies he has won over the years for his poultry, Mr. Mills laughs and says he has a "whole bushel full or prizes". One of the best wins he remembers though is right after the war. He was awarded a prize for ,the Best Collection of Hamburgs at the CNE for three consecutive years. He later sold- these Hamburgs as show birds. "It's: just a hobby but I guess I've. done pretty well at it," he admits. He doesn't find that looking after the birds is too much work either. "Nothing is hard if you love what you're doing," he says. Bert Mills of Goderich displayithils Rhode•Island Red which he has raised as •a show bird. He has bantam birds including White Wyandottes, Buff Rocks, Buff Wyandottes and the Rhode Island Reds. He showed his first birds at the Western . Fair in London in 1927 and recalls having a "good win" at the time. He has' been raising and showing his poultry for over 50 years. (Photo by Joanne Walters) SMILE Middle age: Too young for the bench in the park, too old for the car in the park. +++ The other planets may not be able to support life, but' it isn't easy on this one either. +++ Middle age starts the day you become " more interested in how long your car will last than in how fast it will go.. +++ Ec'bnom is un- derstanding continues to increase. College kids used to write home and ask for money. Now they report unanticipated adverse cash flow problems. or LIFE INSURANCE Bert Mills of Goderich looks at some baby Buff Rock chicks which he is raising as show birds. He has a hen house and two incubators which he uses to raise the birds. He just feeds them ordinary feed and says the trick to raising show birds is in the breeding. He should know. He has been raising and showing prize poultry for over 50 years now and has helped others to get started too. It's just a hobby but one which he truly loves. (Photo by Joanne Walters) GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CERTIFICATE AVAILABLE TO YIELD 929. % TALK TO US ABOUT OTHER INVESTMENTS Heart disease is one of the major causes of death, particularly among men over 40. Our eating and drinking habits; exercise patterns and use of tobacco can all be factors in whether or not we will suffer some form of heart disease. When asked how many trophies and ribbons he has won over the years for his prize poultry, Bert Mills of Goderich just laughs and says, "I have a whole bushel full of prizes." He remembers his best win though. It was right after the war. He won the prize for the Best Collection of Hamburgs at the CNE for three consecutive years. He later sold these Hamburgs to someone else for show birds. (Photo by Joanne Walters) MEMBERS OF THE STAFF OF THE OMBUDSMAN FINANCIAL AND MANAGMENT CONSULTANTS 51 ELGIN AVE. E. Bus.: 524-4211 GODERICH RES.: 524-8742 FOR THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO will be available for private Interviews at The Town Hall representing GODERICH 524.,015 One-stop shop for WINDSHIELDS SAFETY GLASS AUTO UPHOLSTERY VINYL ROOFS BODY MOULDINGS;'s PIN STRIPING DOOR LITES VAN WINDOWS CAPTAIN'S CHAIRS - MOBILE UNITS SEAT COVERS VAN ACCESSORIES INSURANCE CLAIMS CONVERTIBLE TOPS Free pick-up and deliveryri,lio AUTO GLASS 356 Bayfield Rd. Goderich 524.2136 274 JOSEPHINE STREET WINGHAM', Ontario Our new dress "coilectables" are your perfect wardrobe fillers! Choose one and two piece styles in the latest and loveliest soft textured fabrics. from 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. op Tuesday, September 19, 1978 AND AT The Town Hall 707 QUEEN STREET KINCARDINE, Ontario from 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September' 20, 1978. NO APPOINTMENTS NECESSARY for individauals, groups, organizations and their representatives who wish to bring to the attention of The Ombudsman any complaints or grievances concerning the acts or administrative decisions of any Ministry, Agency. Board or Commission of the Government of the Province of Ontario. These in- terviews shall be conducted in private due to the obligation upon The Om- budsman and his staff to make no disclosure of any information received. Individuals, groups, organizations or their representatives wishing to present briefs or statements, or Make complaints, may, If they wish, provide -copies of such material prior, to the above date(s) by addressing them to: The Ombudsman Sixth floor 65 Outten Street West Toronto, Ontario . MSH 2MS STAN JONES SHOPPE LIMITED (416) 069'4000 IN► SHOPPERS ilk SQUARE ��.)I►�GODERICH OPEN ALL DAY WEDNESDAYS OPEN FRIDAY NIGHT TIL 9 P.M.