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Wingham Advance-Times, 1981-05-20, Page 2ance-Tunes, May 2% 1981 R. W. CARBERT, general manager of the Ontario Agricultural Museum at Mil- , ton, demonstrates the old switchboard recently installed by the independent tele- phone companies_ The switchboard was the last active magnetic one used in On- tario, and was in service at Cambray until last fall. Ontario Agricultural Museum Rural telephone system on display at museum Stop for one moment and consider: Could you manage your home or business today without the telephone? We take this electronic device for granted as an extension of our normal conversation. , A spin of the dial or the push of a button connects us with friends, business associates or family across the nation, even the continents. It has not always been this simple to place a call. Early telephones were cum- bersome and primitive and in rural Ontario the sheer cost of building thousands of miles of overhead lines, even the provision of a party line, bordered on the prohibitive. On May 20, 1981, the Ontario Agricultural Muse- um will be recognizing those NW. have. helped, •to,proyide an. excellent source of com- munication to rural people: the independent telephone companies. Most' of .these companies were formed shortly after the turn of the century to provide rural dwellers with telephone service. Some companies were started by doctors who, for their con- venience, wanted to keep in touch with the rural area their . practice covered. Others were privately or family owned, others were syndicates. By 1921, 689 non -Bell companies were operating in Ontario, approximately 25 per cent of the total phones in the province. The museum has suc- cessfully installed a party line system which reflects part of our rural past. The system, which will become officially operative. May 20 during a special ceremony, has two major purposes. First, it is to provide in- stant two-way com- munications between the museum's various display buildings and the ad- ministration office. Secondly, it provides the independent telephone companies -an opportunity to install a system compatible with the theme of the museum and one that adds to the authenticity of the displays, rather than modifying them. An extra feature that will be of interest to visitors is the installation of an old style, overhead telephone line along the Crossroads Community. This connects all the museum buildings .to the central switchboard. This particular swit- chboard is the last active magnetic switchboard in use in Ontario, which was removed from the exchange at Cambray last year after serving customers of that system for many years. Within the next year or' two, visitors also will be able to visit an authentic general store, which will house a second, operating ual switchboard alon with the old-fashioned wooden wall . telephones,._,.......,1 .._ - ..__.,. _ __. All telephone equipment has been donated by the independent telephone companies from throughout' the province or comes from the museum's collection. . Cables, wires and material necessary for the installation were donated by commercial suppliers. The museum has been fortunate to have the in- dependent companies donate staff time and knowledge in completing this project. Among the companies which donated material and staff time' are: —the Bruce Municipal Telephone System, serving Kincardine, Paisley. Port Elgin and Tiverton. —the Huron and Kinloss Municipal Telephone Sys- tem. serving Dungannon and Ripley; -the Mornington Muni- cipal, serving Milverton: —the South Bruce Rural Telephone Company Ltd., serving Mildmay and Tees - water: —and the Wightman Telephone Ltd:, which serves Ayton,. Clifford, Gorrie and Neustadt. According to. R. W, Car- bert, general manager of the 'Ontario Agricultural Museum, he sees this project of the independent, industry..„. "as an opportunity to create an atmosphere truly representative of the role that telephone has played hi the agricultural history of Ontario: "'• Host famiiers are n for Junior Ag. program The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food again is sponsoring the Junior Agriculturalist program, now in its ninth year. The program has been very successful in providing practical experience for young people from non-farm -homes who have a serious interest in agriculture, and- no experience working on a farm. As a result, there is now a group of young people in- terested in and capable of pursuing agriculturally related careers or fern* labor positions. As well, the JOOiorAgriculturalists, their faAlliliea and friends have developed a greater aw►ess and appreciation 'tlxos life and the farming industry. Host farmers must operate a Commercial farm and be Engaged full-time in far- ming. \Selection of host farmers will be based on interest, in helping an inexperienced young person develop shills required on a farm and ability to work well Ministryp.:Ians woodlot survey An on -the -ground survey of private woodlands in . the Wingham district will be conducted this summer by personnel of the Ministry of Natural Resources. The survey is being under- taken to obtain data on tree species, timber volume and productivity of these wood - lots to provide a base for future resource manage- ment planning. Woodlots in southern Ontario have a greater sig nificance than many people realize, J. L. Hamill, Wingham district manager, noted. Nearly 30 per cent of the wood produced in Ontario comes from private as opposed. to Crown lands. Woodlots in the Wingham district -help . supply . high value hardwood timber used . by the region's furniture manufacturing and other wood -using industries, with more than 10 million feet of locally -grown timber sawn in the district last year. Private woodlots in this area serve many other important functions, such as regulation of stream levels, protection of crops, soil and buildings from wind damage, enhancement of landscape beauty and habitat for wildlife, ail of which are important to the farm ' community, Mr. Hamill.added. A staff of 13 forestry in- ventory personnel will be working in the district from May 19 to Sept. 1 to complete the survey. They will be contacting local landowners to get permission to enter” their land to gather in- formation from designated forest areas. As this information is vital to the ministry's forest resources program, the cooperation of private wood - lot owners will be appre- ciated • greatly, Mr. Hamill said. The head of the survey team is Don Cunningham from the natural resources office in Toronto, He is no stranger to this area, as he worked in the Wingham district for three years after the office first opened here. Further information about the survey is available from the ministry by calling 357 3131 or toll free 1-800-265- 3003. OBEXto ..• In an age where services vi-d•eo a ucti en pare available to almost s everyone in a matter of seconds. the Ontario Agri- cultural Museum provides a glimpse of the efforts made by our rural ancestors to connect them with urban centres. neighbors and ser- vices which we so often take for granted. SFA plans pubic meeting in Toronto The Ontario Federation of Agriculture t OFA 1 has announced plans to hold a public meeting in Toronto June 4 to discuss the economic problems facing many members of Ontario's farm community. Ralph Barrie, OFA president, said he expects Agriculture Minister Lorne Henderson and Treasurer Frank Miller will attend. Invitations also have been sent to the federal agricul- ture minister. Eugene Whelan. and Allan Mac- Eachen, minister of finance. FARMERS & DEALERS Reserve This Date SATURDAY MAY 30, 1981 10 A.M. SHARP Including o Targe selection of tractors, ploughs, discs, cultivators, land rakers, seed drills, weed sprayers, fertilizer spreaders, corn planters, manure spreaders, bale feeders, balers, stockers, haybines, swathers, mowers, rakes, elevators, wagons, harvesters, forage boxes, blowers, combines, grinder mixers, rotary mowers, stone pickers, snow 'blowers, grain augers, blades, gravity boxes, plus lawn and garden equipment and a large selection of new power and hand took. Selling By Number Lunch Booth on Grounds Terms: Cosh or cheque day of sale 'TRUCKING AVAILABLE ANYWHERE* Owner or Auctioneer 'not responsible for)ac- cidents on property day of sale. J AUCTIONEER: CLIFF GILBERT Wiarton, Ontario DON'T MISS IT - SEE YOU THERE! Wayne Ward Farm Equipment Hwy. No. 6, Wiarton, Ontario PHONE: (519) 534-2980 or (519) 534-1638 i3 Mr. Barrie said the meeting is necessary because politicians have done nothing to ease far- mers` economic difficulties. He said both levels of government have.a mandate to protect the best interests of their constituents, yet the federal government has accepted high interest rates and the problems they cause and the provincial govern- ment - has failed to put Ontario farmers in a com- petitive position. Other provinces already have introduced programs to cushion the effects of high interest rates on their far- mers, he reported. Mr. Barrie warned the failure to help could have a disastrous impact on Ontario's ability to produce food. He estimated the province already is losing 1.000 farmers a year, and predicted this could increase as more farmers are forced out of business. He also predicted that the present state of the economy will discourage young people from entering farming. Mr. Barrie said he expects several hundred farm leaders from across Ontario to attend the meeting. He urged all Ontario Members of Parliament and Members of the Legislative Assembly to attend, Conestoga chair draw Laurie Crawford of Belgrave won first prize, a grandfather rocker, in a draw held by the Conestoga Chair recreation committee, Debbie Gower, also of Belgrave, won second prize of a "glass turkey" The draw was held May 15. The Ontario. Beef Exchange Ltd. (OBEX) will be holding five video feeder cattle auctions in 1981, Ginty Jocius, general manager of OBEX, announced. The first sale, held May 6 at Chesley, had consign- ments from western Canada. The dates for other sales are Aug. 26, Sept. 16, Oct; 7 and Oct. 28, all at the Chesley Community Centre. Prior to this year, OBEX consigned only cattle from Ontario for presentation on the two, six-foot screens at charges A report released recently by the Econl 'rile Council of vaiada eritit ized cigru.u, turas marketing • boards, which it said. particularly in the dairy industry. have led to unreasonably high prices for consumers. However Gerry Fortune, president of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture, said she doesn't believe farmers are making excessive profits as a result of marketing boards. "i would like to know where the excess profits are," she declared. "They're not here on this dairy farm." Gisele Ireland of RR 2, Teeswater, a member of the public relations -committee for the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and OFA repre- sentative to the Canadian \'- ociation of Consumers in t)ntano. said tanutrs choulsn't • deny that mar- keang boards do increase the price of milk. "However 15 cents a litre is very debatable. What is their criteria that suggests excess profits?" Mrs. Fortune also defended the practice of selling quota to farmers as the simplest way to dispense it. "I don't tell unions, plumbers or electricians how to run their business," she concluded. "Why should someone tell us how to run ours?" the community centre. Buyers bought cattle off the screen to go right from grass farms to • the feedlot, reducing animal stress as well as disease problems and allowing flexible lifting dates. The majority of western cattle will be 600 -700 -pound steers from an area 60 miles northeast of Calgary Alberta. Tney wiIl,have' had all the necessary -medica- tions. They will be shipped around 75 miles to Hanna, weighed with a three .per cent "pencil shrink" and then shipped to. buyers in Ontario. "Vie are extremely excited by this 'Alberta Con- nection'," Mr. Jocius said. "This new step will truly round out our saying that OBEX brings cattle marketing into the 20th century."', • - Information on .consign- ment or buying procedures is available from the OBEX office in Toronto at 590 Keele Street, M6N 3E3, or by phoning ( 416) 767-5494. 0 0. 0 St. John Ambulance teaches courses in child care which are good training for babysitters. with and supervise youug people. Junior Agriculturalists are 16 or 17 years of age, with no previous farm experience. Participants are selected on their reasons for being in- terested in . farming and future education and career plans. The program gives students an opportunity to develop an appreciation for rural life through living with a farm family arid- partici- pating, in local: 441, Junior Farmers and other com- munity activities. The on-farm assignments last from June 22 to Aug. 22. Each Junior Agriculturalist will receive a training OM per -day. The terwill pay $6.00 in cash and supply room and board worth $8.00 per day. The ministry, of agriculture and food pays the remaining 86.00. Farmers who would like to host a Junior Agriculturalist for the summer should contact their local agricultural office for an application, or the area co- ordinatot, Sharon Salm, at the OMAF office, 279 Weber Street North, Waterloo, N2J 3118 or phone 519-884-5390. operates on you? existing fence` u I E wait no'special. insulation BEE charges miles of uninsulated 1 or more wire fence in any weather condition. BEE has alt electronic circuitry - no moving parts to adjust or wear out BEE has a' full 2 year.over-the-counter ) verrenty FREE FENCE TESTER CAL BURKE Electric 'LTD.. • Do-it-yowseff Electrical Supplies -Service / Wingham We belpi P APPLIANCE SALES AND SERVICE 357-2450 . 91Elc'Ellt SUMMER -LONG, WITH NEW LIFE PASTURE CONTROL RATIONS # '`�far • ,t^3...:4 . [ R5i r;^.`6 ta.. N $hi V tr. ■ GRAZE MORE BEEF PER ACRE II KEEP UP 'LUSH PASTURE'. 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