Zurich Citizens News, 1976-02-25, Page 1BEANPOT PRESENTED - John Alderson, proprietor of the Hensall Beanpot, accepts a clay beanpot
from Phil Durand of the Ontario Bean Producers Marketing Board. News Photo
At Hensall
Beans o
At the Hensall Beanpot, beans
are on the menu every day and
according to proprietor John
Alderson, the rather unique
feature is drawing the appetites
of his customers, both tourists
and those from the immediate
area.
Mr. Alderson, who has been
in the food industry for the past
15 years, purchased his rest-
uarant, formerly Reid's Lunch,
in September from. Jack Reid
who built the restaurant eight
years ago.
John and his wife Alison
decided to change the name to
The Hensall Beanpot to take
advantage of the fact that the
location, on highway 4 right in
the village of Hensall, was pretty
well in the heart of Huron Cou-
nty's bean producing area.
"The name seems to have
caught on," says John, pointing
out that many people travelling
up and down the highway to and
from London stop in specifically
for beans. His recipe, naturally
a trade secret, was formulated
by John and Alison on a trial
and error basis. "Beans are
available every day and are a
part of many of our specials."
The name has not only att-
racted the attention of tourists.
RC board
in committee
By WILMA OKE
A study of the structuring of
the schools in the Huron -Perth
County Roman Catholic Separate
School Board jurisdiction was
discussed at a special meeting
of the board Monday night.
The study into the structuring
of the schools' was prepared by
the administrative staff at the
direction of the board at a meet-
ing on October 14.
A three-hour discussion on
the structuring of Curriculum
in the 19 schools led by Joseph
Tokar and Alexander Easton,
superintendents of special
services and program respect-
ively, passed without incident.
However, when the discussion
led to the structuring of the
Stratford schools, a sensitive area
seemed to have been .touched for
two Stratford trustees -- David
Teahen and Howard Shantz.
They asked that the discussion
continue in committee of the
whole and said the whole meeting
should have been held as commit-
tee of the whole.
Some of the trustees expressed
surprise that the meeting should
have been held behind closed
doors, including the chairman.
In the end the press represent-
ative was asked to leave at
11 p.m. and not report the
discussion,
Bean producers
self 362,100 cwt.
The Ontario Bean Producers
Marketing Board manager
Charles Broadwell announced
Monday that the board sold
362,100 hundredweight bags of
beans to domestic and foreign
markets last week 'at prices of
$25.50 and $24.50.
Mr. Broadwell said the price
of beans had been fluctuating at
various levels over the past few
months but beans hadn been
selling. The board decided to
lower the price in order to move
some of the 1975 bean crop.
"1' m sure the individual bean
producers were looking for a
higher price," said Mr. Broad-
well, "so I'm not sure whether
the sale is good news or not."
He said the price was above
the average received by the bean
producers last year but lower
than the $35.00 per hundred-
weight many expected to rec-
eive. About 50 percent of the
1975 crop has now been sold
according to Mr. Broadwell.
Twenty percent had been sold
before the crop had been harv-
MlarrIghthe menu di?z////4_
The Ontario Bean Producers
Marketing Board recently presen-
ted John with a gift, -a beanpot,
in. recognition of his efforts to
produce the local bean industry.
John hopes to have similar bean -
pots available by this summer for
sale in his restaurant and he is
also investigating the possibility
of getting small beanpots,
engraved with the name of the
village, for sale as inexpensive
souvenirs.
John feels that beans can be
used to promote Hensall and area
in many ways and suggested
that signs indicating the location
of the bean mills might draw
people off the highway into the
downtown business section
and generate some extra trade
for village merchants.
John and Alison and their sons
Tim 5, and Chris 3, have purchas-
ed a home in the village and
are enjoying their new com-
munity. They're not entirely
strangers to the area as they
lived near Exeter in the past
while John worked for Beaver
Foods both at Centralia and at
Kings College and Brescia
College. After a short stay in
St. Catharines, the Aldersons
decided to buy The Beanpot and
have been busy ever since.
The little restaurant is general-
ly quite. busy as locals and
travellers have discovered the
food and service to be good. If
you've got a hankering for some
good Huron County beans, why
not drop in at The Hensall Bean -
pot.
ested.
Mr. Broadwell said after the
sales last week, the board has
set the current price at $29.50
for export and $30.50 for dom-
estic.
The board manager said the
present price to producers in
Michigan is quoted at $23.00
with $21.00 for prime grade.
"It's been very inconsistent,"
said Mr. Broadwell. "We'll
just be playing the market from
now on. There's no firm price
from Michigan right now."
Mr. Broadwell said Michigan
buyers were buying from ''hand-
to-mouth" and in some cases
were taking the beans "right
off the shelves." He said the
buyers were doing everything
possible to "break the price."
Mr. Broadwell also announced
the board has hired the
Toronto firm of Hickling Johnston
to dor complete study of bean
marketing and the possib-
ility of "one desk selling."
[{ . -.void not disclose the cost
e! the study.
NO. 8 - FIRST WITH THE LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1976
'111,094,160 in force
Hay
presi
ut al ,9„me
ent at a : u
The Hay Township Farmers'
Mutual Fire Insurance Company,
finishing its first year in its
second century, named Elmore
McBride to its top post Saturday
at the annual meeting held in
Zurich. Mr. McBride, from
Exeter, was last years vice-
prsident and succeeds Cecil
Desjardine of Grand Bend.
Howard Datars was named
to the post of vice-president.
Other directors elected were
Arnold McCann of Dashwood,
Donald Campbell of Bayfield,
Mel Webster of Clinton, Leonard
Erb of Hensall, Carl Turnbull
of Dashwood and Herb Beierling
of Zurich, the only new director.
One of the highlights of the
meeting held at the Hay Town-
ship Hall was the number of
tributes paid by directors and
members to Theo Steinback,
Zurich who retired after serving
for 15 years as a director.
In his report to the annual
meeting, president Cecil Des-
jardine said the company rec-
orded an increase of its insurance
in force of 20.2 percent to
PRICE 20c PER COPY
e
nri ''e t i n
$111,094,160. The financial
results were indicated in an
increase of 38.9 percent to
$448,404 in premium income.
The company's surplus position
according to Mr. Desjardine
jumped by 31.9 percent to
$706,372.
The figures indicate that a
company with a considerable
increase in insurance must have
an adequate profit to maintain
in a sound position," said Mr.
Desjardine. "It is very difficult
to project what the future may
hold. Your directors are watching
developments • with a keen
interest as to what will take place
in the future,"
In reviewing the one hundred
and first year, Mr. Desjardine
mentioned that a centennial
booklet, outlining the company's
first century of operations, had
been printed and mailed to
policy holders. A highlight of
the year was the centennial
dance and smorgasbord held in
Zurich in September said Mr .
Desjardine.
"One of the
most important
events of the year in the farm
n',itual fire industry was the
passing of an act by the provincial
government which stated that
farm mutuals write a contract
of insurance without the signing
of an acompanying premium
note," said Mr. Desjardine.
"The Ontario Mutual Insurance
Association of Farm Mutual
Companies has set up a fund of
a million dollars to replace the
premium note for the protection
of its policy holders."
Secretary -manager John
Consitt gave the financial report
which was received as encourag-
ing by most of the policyholders
present.
He explained that the firm
has purchased the Decker pro-
perty next to its office building
in Zurich for possible future
expansion. He also said certain
changesinithe financial statement
were due to the fact that the
company is' now holding its own
wind insurance where previously
it had been reinsured with other
companies.
ANNUAL MEETING - Pictured at the 1975-76 annual meeting of
the Hay Township Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company
Saturday were front, Elgin Hendrick, agent; Elmore McBride„
vice-president; John Consitt, secretary -manager; Cecil Desjardine,
president; Jack Scotchmer, agent. Back row, directors Gar( Turn-
bull, Mel Webster, Don Campbell, Howard Datars, Arnold Mc-
Cann, Leonard Erb and newly -elected director Herb Beierling.
At a board meeting following the annual meeting Mr. McBride
was chosen president and Mr. Datars vice-president. Agent Glenn
Webb was absent, At a subsequent director's meeting, Mr, Mc-
Bride was named president for 1976-77 and Mr. Datars was named
vice-president. News Photo