The Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-09-12, Page 20Page •.6—Crossroads —Sept . 12. +►tt4
I like blueberries. I've
liked them since I was a little
kid and used to pick them
from low bushes when my
family would take me on
trips up around the islands of
tGeorgian Bay.
I like them better than
strawberries, raspberries or
blackberries. I know that's a
pretty sweeping statement,
but that's the way it is.
As I'grew older and didn't
have as much time to dawdle
along picking blueberries,
I'd buy them from fruit
stores. But mostly, as I
recall they were imported
from Michigan.
I used, to wonder why,
somebody didn't go into the
blueberry business in On-
tario. Well, about a decade
ago a few people - did. And
now, there are close to 30
commercial highbush blue-
berry patches In the prov-
ince.
The biggest one is Blue
Ridge Farms at St. Williams
on Lake Erie's north shore.
It's run by Martin and Margo
Weber, a couple of go-getters
who sunk their savings into
some of the sandy soil of
Southwestern Ontario and
haven't had to sing the blues
since they started.
Blue Ridge has 20,000
bushes that seem to extend
as far as the eye can see.
From the middle of July till
the end of the season, people
are coming and going all the
time. They can either buy
boxes or baskets of b rries
from a stand at the entrance
to the farm, or go out and
piek their own.
The last time I was there,
just a few weeks agtb, they
had a fancy new sprayer and
were building a massive
- -harvester which will•r-umble
along and pick hundreds of,
the big blue berries in one
_fell swoop.
Needless to sa,y when I'm
let loose among those berries
I'm a Bonner for. a couple of
hours. I think I eat as much
as I .pick. A few more' cus-
tomers like myself and Blue
Ridge would rapidly become,
a nonprofit organization.
Of course, there are sever-
al similarly excellent farms
around these days. I've
visited just a.. few of them.
Diana Parks has a big one in
the Thamesville area and
near the town of Simcoe,
thes'e's a smaller but, very
lively spread called
"Powell's Patch. It's oper-
ated by entrepreneur. Chuck
Powell who uses a number of
germicides to keep hungry
birds from the berries.
Chuck has ferocious -look-
r •®
161 Your heart works
duharder when
you're not in theei,.
game.. Get fit
and turn the
clock back. '
iia4W Fitness is fun.
Try some.
E
naRr/c7naeTIOr7Pc
ing stuffed owls set up on
poles to frighten off the
birds. He also has a small
cannon that goes off every
once in ,a while, and oc-
casionally he wanders
through the patch and imi-
tates the cry of the dreaded
red-ta iled hawk.
But he says the most ef-
fective measure is provided
by good old rock'n'roll!
Chuck has a speaker se-
creted'under the hood of his
panel truck. When he drives
the truck around the patch
the rock music that blares
out scares the bejeebers out
of the birds! And if that
doesn't work, he switches
over to rhythm and ... uh,
blues.
'AU
Creatures
Great and
SmaII'
"SEBORRHEA AND
YOUR PET"
Seborrhea is a relatively
common, chronic form of
skin disease. Understanding
a few things about seborrhea
may help to make life with
your affected pet a more
pleasant experience. Seborr-
hea results from the .distur-
bance of a "sebaceous"
gland in the skin. The seba-
ceous glands produce se -
burn, a normal lubricating
and protective material for
the skin. Seborrhea is nor-
mally, divided into two main
groups: dry and oily.
In the dry form, there is a
lack of normal oil in the skin,
Mainstream Canada
Injured workers
and the cost pain
by Tony Carlson
The grisly television com-
mercials talk about prevent-
ing accidents -on the job. But
mishaps do happen, and it's
at that point that The System
clicks into gear.
The System is workers'
pensation, separate pro-
vincial programs which, like.
a patch -work quilt, are,
showing signs of wear
around the seams.
At least six provinces --
British
British Columbia, Alberta,
Saskatchewan, Ontario,
Quebec and Prince Edward
Island — have introduced
new legislation or are re-
viewing existing 1144Ovs for aid
to injured workers. Those
changes will likely mean
higher benefit levels, which,
in turn, mea creased
rates for' em oyers who pay
100 per cen of the premiums
for the n fault insurance,
plan.
The deb
System has pro
ter of data and a host of buzz-
words -unfunded liabilities,
wage ceilings, meat charts.
But it has also brought to
light evidence that more
than quick -fix mending is
needed..
Over the last few years,:
the number of claims filed by
injured vtorkers has drop-
ped, but the amount of
benefits paid has increased.
Why? Inflation accounts for
part of it, but the crucial
point is that workers tend to
stay on benefits longer now
than they used to.
In , Ontario, for instance,
the average stay on compen-
sation has risen from seven
weeks in the period 1975 to
1979, to 10 weeks in 1983.
Thus, although claims de-
creased 8 per cent last year,
the province paid out $943
million 'more in benefits.
Does it take longer to heal
now than nine years ago?
That is'what employers -re-
fer to when they talk about
their fear that The System is
taking on too great a social
over The
a wel-
responsibility. The people
who foot the bills are con-
cerned that compensation is
seen by the boards as a way
to ride out tough economic
fifties.
No one disputes the worthy
principles behind workers'
compensation. But with
people collecting benefits for
longer periods, costs
escalate dramatically.
That's why Ontario has a
shortfall of $4.9 billion in its
compensation budget. In
B.C. it's $430 million. And
-that's . why business is con-
cerned that new options be
explored. Clouds such as in-
dustrial disease (silicosis,
cancers and the like) are
gathering on the horizon,
further . obscuring The
System's ability to support
itself.
One key,, says Jason.
Mandlowitz. of th nadian
Federation of Inde dent
Business, which has been
spearheading an employers'
group examining the issues,
is to provide more incentive
for workers to return :to the
job more quickly, not only
restoring their feeling of use-
fulness, but reducing the
strain on the board's
finances.
Furthermore, govern-
ments should begin to con-
sider a proposal to allow
companies to provide com-
pensation protection through
".private insurance firms.
That approach was sup-
ported by 59 per cent of those
CFO members responding
to a survey this year. They
reasoned that such a move
would provide two things:
better rates for employers
because of competition and
tighter controls on. benefit
costs` than governments can
provide.
The bottom line is this:
business people are quite
prepared to support a fair
plan for compensation. But if
it is to work, The System
must also be affordable.
The arthritis
warning signs:
1 persistent pain and stiffness on arising
2. pain, tenderness, or swelling in one or more joints
3. recurrence of these symptoms, especially when •
they involve more than one joint
4. recurrent or persistent pain and stiffness in the
neck, lower back, knees. and other joint:.
FOR MORE INFORMATION. CONTACT YOUR
ARTHRITIS SOCIETY
THE
ARTHRITIS,
SOCIETY
By Donald V. Martin
resulting in dry flaky skin. A
very severe itchiness is often
associated with this dryness.
In the oily form, an excess
accumulation of a greasy or
waxy material on the skin
occurs. This accumulation
appears in patchy areas,
usually around the eyes and
ears, on the back, 'the chest,
belly and especially around
the nipples. As with the dry
form, there is intense itchi-
ness as well as a very rancid
odor (often described as a
"doggy smell").
Seborrhea is a very frus-_
trating condition for the ani-
mal, the owner, and the vet-
erinarian. There are many
causes for seborrhea and
equally as many methods of
treatment. In many cases,
the treatment must be tailor-
ed to each individual case.
Animals suffering from se -
P
borrbea are frequently sus-
ceptible to secondary infec-
tions from other skin dis-
eases. in many instances,
there is no cure, Reasonable
contrais usually the highest
expectation one can achieve.
It will take a great deal of
co-operation with your vet-
erinarian to find a cure or
control for the condition. A
very detailed history will be
taken, followed by an extens-
ive physical examination
and likely, frequent labora-
tory testing.
Glandular problems (thy-
roid, adrenal, or sex glands)
are among the causes of se-
borrhea, as are: nutritional
complications, external or
internal parasites, fungal in-
fections (i.e. ringworm), al-
lergies and possibly, some
association with tumors. In
examining your pet, your
veterinarian will attempt to
rule out as many causes as
possible ;ta finally achieve a
diagnosis': If a cause can be
found, the likelihood of ef-
fective therapy is enhanced.
Laboratory procedures
will often involve blood,
urine and stool examination.
Occasionally, skin cultures
or biopsies will be needed.
Once a diagnosis is made, it
is important to remember
that treatment is often long-
term and ongoing. A good,
well balanced diet will most
often be prescribed, and oc-
casionally, antibiotics or
corticosteroids may be re-
quired to control acute
symptoms such as inflam-
mation or intense itch. If a
glandular problem is diag-
nosed, adjustments may be
required and hormones or
neutering may be recom-
mended.
In all cases, control of the
excess sebum production is
an important part of ther-
apy. Good grooming prac
tices must be followed and
more frequent .trimming
may be necessary in long
haired -breeds. Regular med-
icated baths are also often
used to keep the skin clean
and odor free. If the coat is
very dry, moisturizing
agents may be necessary.
After your veterinarian
has set up a treatment
regime, discuss it with him -
her thoroughly. You may not
be prepared to undertake the
treatment that many cases
require. On the other hand,
much of the treatment can
be done at home and seeing
your pet recover is a very re-
warding experience.
Since some breeds and
families of dogs are more
prone to this condition it is
advisable to discuss your
breed choice with your vet-
erinarian before purchasing
a puppy.
BY SPECIAL REQUEST
Disc jockey
Service
Phone Evenings
Brussels
"Terry" 887-6185 "Gail"
Book Your Fa11 and Christmas Dances Now,
Avoid Disappointment
THE TREND FO ■ FALL '84..
is
ADULT BUSINESS EDUCATION
Wellington County Board of Education
offers free of charge at
Arthur District High School
a program to give you practical knowledge and
experience to enable you to enter into the
modern business office
courses may be used as credits towards the
completion of a Grade 12 certificate
special business certificate presented to
graduates of the program
.. on-the-job training gives you the hands-on
experience you are looking for
FREE DAY CARE IS AVAILABLE
TO MEMBERS OF THE COURSE
For further inforPnation, contact Kate More.
at Arthur District High School
848-2533
TKE YOUR PICK FROM AGREAT SELECTION!
NV/ V ►� ''I ti�P . I1111".pi IFo Q 0
d's7
Prcicr 0
uTrY .
Thefrl
Choose from 4
1984 FORD
MUSTANGS
3 door..LX models
from $10,995
Stl
Choose from 17
1984 FORD
TEMPOS
from
$8,45
Choose from 13
1984 CROWN
VICTORIAS
from
'13.495
Choose from 3
1984 MERCURY
LYN,XS
from
All our remaining 1984
Fords, Mercurys and
Ford .Trucks are at
CLEARAN� PRICES.
Choose from 2
1984 FORD
THUNDERBIRDS
from
$13,295
1 Only!
1984 MERCURY
CAPRI
Only
Choose from 9
1984 FORD
F150 PICKUP
from
$9,495
Choose from 3
1984 FORD
F-150 SUPER
FROM ,
$13,09'
FORD
TRUCKS
1 Only!
1984 FORD
F-250 PICKUP
with 4 wheel drive
$ 12,895
Choose from 3
1984 FORD
ESCORT
from
$8,395
Choose from 11
1984 MERCURY
TOPAZS
fromr
$8,945.
Choose from 2
1984 FORD
RANGER 'S'
from
$7,495
Harvey Krotz Ford
Wallace Ave. N. Listowel Car City
291-3520