The Rural Voice - November 2023

Rural Voice November 2023

The

THE MAGAZINE OF AGRICULTURAL LIFE ... $2.50 PM 40037593

THERAPEUTIC PONIES Endangered Newfoundland ponies help with confidence, self-regulation and team building

PELLETIZING WOOL Sheep farmer turns extra wool into a pelletized soil supplement

SURE YOU ARE SECURE? Most farmers don’t recognize they are big business and need better cyber security

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Contents

18

26

The

Rural Voice THE MAGAZINE OF AGRICULTURAL LIFE

Published monthly by: The Rural Voice, Box 429, Blyth, Ontario, N0M 1H0 Telephone: 519-523-4311 Fax: 519-523-9140 E-mail: info@northhuron.on.ca Website: ruralvoice.ca

35

Publisher: Deb Sholdice Editor: Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot rveditorlisa@northhuron.on.ca

Columns

Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Keith Roulston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Kate Procter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Jeffrey Carter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Mabel’s Grill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Viewpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Gardening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Woodlots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Agrilaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Departments Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Ruralite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Business Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Newsletters

National Farmers Union . . . . . . . . . .58 Perth County Pork . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Grey County Federation . . . . . . . . . .60 Bruce County Federation . . . . . . . .61 Perth County Federation . . . . . . . . . .62 Huron County Federation . . . . . . . . .64

NOVEMBER 2023 • Cover Photo Vanessa Strike of Poppy’s Haven, Varna Photo by Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot

• Deadlines: Dec. Issue – Nov. 7 January Issue – December 5

18 Poppy’s Haven

Endangered Newfoundland ponies grow in population and are used for therapeutic work

22 Last Time Down the Shute Dwayne Crane retires from barrel racing after a lifetime riding horses

26 Wool Pellets for Soil Health Sheep farmer turns leftover wool into wool pellets for use as a soil amendment

30 Advice on Feeding Cattle

Contributing writers: Keith Roulston, Kate Procter, Jeffrey Carter, Rhea Hamilton Seeger, Arnold Mathers, Donna Lacey, Melisa Luymes, Carolyn Crawford, Bonnie Sitter, Jeff Tribe, Amanda Brodhagen Advertising Sales: Shelley Kroes rvads@northhuron.on.ca Production co-ordinator & Telemarketing: Joan Caldwell PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40037593 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 429, BLYTH ON N0M 1H0 email: info@northhuron.on.ca Subscriptions: $25 (12 issues) $45 (24 issues), includes HST Back copies $2.75 each.

Make cheques payable to: NORTH HURON PUBLISHING CO.

Jack Chaffe and other experts discuss feeding strategies for feedlot cattle

35 Cybersecurity Checklist Local businessmen create cyber safety checklist for farmers

42 Butternut Tree Planting Volunteers create a planting archive for the endangered butternut tree

All manuscripts submitted for consideration should be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publisher. Editorial content may be reproduced only by permission of the publisher. The Rural Voice makes every effort to see that advertising copy is correct. However, should an error occur, please notify The Rural Voice office within 30 days of invoicing in order to obtain a billing adjustment.

A division of North Huron Publishing Company Inc.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.

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2 The Rural Voice

An attitude of gratitude and

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Editor: I enjoyed Jeffrey Carter’s reflections on “grace”.

On occasion, I have been asked to say a public grace. I grew up with Christian graces in at least two languages, but realized that these might make some in the group uncomfortable.

A number of years ago, while on a work party at Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory at Cabot Head, Ron Baker used this grace: ~ All life is sacred; plant, animal, human.

All must eat to live, And nourish one another.

So, let us eat joyfully, Resolving by our lives To honour those that have died that we might live. ~ Ron referred to this as “Jeremy’s Grace”, but when I later asked him who Jeremy was, he said he had no idea.

I am a hunter; when I take a life, I take a bit of tobacco to spread, and pause in reflection. (I’ve heard that this is not uncommon among hunters in the North.). I may also do this when I cut a living tree.

It is never inappropriate to have an attitude of gratitude and respect for any life. ~Art Wiebe, Tiverton

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November 2023 3

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Neil’s One-Liners (Wisdom from McGavin Files)

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Cow judge Kevin McGriskin (left) and Ringman Doug Green (right) stand with the Grand, Reserve and Honourable Mention champions at the recent Perth-Waterloo Holstein Show held at the Agriplex in Stratford. ~ Photo by Claire Swale Photography November 2023 5

Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot Lisa B. Pot is editor of The Rural Voice, and farms in Huron County

Taking my farm into the future

M

y farm is little and part of me felt like the tugboat amongst a sea of freighters with the group taking the Environmental Farm Plan workshop in Kirkton this summer.

Amongst the livestock and crop farmers, my little farm doesn’t require me to review Pesticide Handling and Storage, Storage and Feeding of Ensilage or Milking Centre Washwater.

But even small farms have to fill in chapters on Water Wells, Disposal of Farm Wastes, Water Efficiency and Energy Efficiency.

And I wanted to. For the potential to receive grants, sure. I have property on the Lower Maitland and as my focus shifts from livestock to wildlife, I hope to plant more trees and potentially create a pond/wetland. I also have sloping fields and I hate to see the rills that can form after a heavy rain.

Mostly, I want to be responsible. I may not have hundreds or thousands of acres, but I have my 100 and that is what I have been charged to be a steward of.

So I sat under the tutelage of Margaret May,who is the regional program lead with the Ontario Soil and Crop Insurance Association and has been facilitating these EFP workshops for decades now. She has a nononsense approach and I was all for it.

There were farmers in the group who thought it was funny to talk about shooting beavers, or using up old-oil to burn old wood piles amongst other anti-environment approaches. I’m not sure if that was bluster, or fact or a little of both. I just thought, “really?”

We, as farmers, represent the people who work the land and are taking care of the earth and its creatures. Why present yourself as careless smartasses?

But I also get the frustration of so many rules. There is so much to DO as 6 The Rural Voice

farmers. Adding the responsiblity of manure storage distances, monitoring of fuel storage and disposal of plastics and other wastes, amongst all the other best practices in the 300-page binder, is a lot.

It takes considerable energy and planning to be environmentally responsible and judging from my worksheets and the review comments I was sent back, I’d better watch my own actions. I have an open manure pile for horse manure that I honestly believe I manage well. However, I do have water courses on my farm so any increase in livestock will require some new strategies in terms of redirection clean water away with berms and eavestroughs. If there is runoff, I would need runoff collection, a flow path or a vegetated filter strip (in place).

I will also admit I did find the process of answering all the questions somewhat tedious. Yet it was also enlightening.

I thought the group exercise — analyzing a mock farm with manure, horticulture and water well issues — an excellent way to come up with solutions. Moreso, it revealed most farmers feel the same way: “We’re doing the best we can and it will get done at some point.”

Will it though? Or will the binder sit on the shelf, as a “ticket” to future funding? These are questions we need to ask ourselves.

May encourages farmers to update their EFP every five years.

Proud, as a farmer, to learn more about my farm and where I can make improvements

“Continuously updating keeps you current with best management practices and funding,” she said.

A new version will come out soon with even more focus on soil health and water quality. “Sustainability IS water and soil health,” says May. She belives EFPs are incredibly valuable, allowing farmers to learn more about their business and look at it via someone else’s eyes. She suspects some farmers are afraid to take the course in case their farm comes up as less than environmentally perfect. She assured everyone there aren’t any “environmental police” monitoring the books and that they never have to show anyone else the binder if they don’t wish too. Others come just to get the grant money. She know this.

“But I don’t care why you come in the door. If I can get you in here, I can help change your mindset,” she says.

“We want an industry that is sustainable, with farmers that respect the environment. We want you to have market for your product with a society that respects what you do.”

May personally finds it very satisfying to see the process start in the classroom before farmers receive costshared funding to “improve their situation and implement a project.”

I don’t have a big project in mind, just yet. I recently planted a mini-forest and it took quite a bit of work to keep those trees watered and mowed around this summer. I do have a few small projects identified in the EFP’s Action Plan to work on that will help make my little farm the best it can be. ◊

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Keith Roulston were brothers from Scotland who took up various farms along our concession in what came to be known as the McGowan settlement.

In our area of East Wawanosh Township there was a huge difference from farm to farm, from the top of the hill next door to the east to the bottom at our place, where the family built their house and barn 1,000 feet back from the concession through what must have been a swamp at the bottom of the hill.

Yet all the brothers, to some extent, seemed to prosper because the land, once they laboriously cleared the trees, was fertile. On the top of the hill the family built a magnificently large stone house that has attracted buyers ever since, after it was divided off the farm. Our house is much more modest and made of brick, but we’re still proud of it after nearly a half-century of living here.

For long periods of time these were typical farms, with cattle, pigs sheep, chickens and of course horses on each farm. The remnants of a barn and a sturdy cement silo still exist

Keith is former publisher of The Rural Voice.

He lives near Blyth, ON.

Same farm. How differently we live

It’s a bright early Fall day shortly before Thanksgiving and it’s a beautiful day to be outside.

I’m in our yard, doing a little work. It’s warm. There’s absolutely no breeze. Across the road the neighbour’s two horses whinny occasionally but otherwise it’s quiet.

Aside from the passenger jets that now and then fly miles overhead, or the occasional car on the road, it could be a time when the owners of this farm knew no motors – in tractors, trucks or cars.

It makes me think of how much we humans have witnessed in our relatively short time on this land. It’s less than 200 years ago since the first settlers arrived. In our case, they

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just off the eastern edge of our acreage (with the names of the family and the year it was built – 1911– scratched into the cement of the silo).

The house was simple in those days, heated by wood stoves. Our kitchen originally had seven doors, allowing the heat from the kitchen stove to heat different rooms. The upstairs bedrooms had vents in the floor to allow the heat to seep in.

At the rear was a summer kitchen where the women of the household cooked in the summer months in an effort to keep the main part of the house cooler. Attached to that was the woodshed. We had this section replaced years ago by a delightful family room designed by an architect, with plenty of modern windows to allow light in but keep the cold out.

In early years, most farms were similar with a mixture of farm animals. Power came from horses and strong men, with water pumped by windmills (which we still have the remnants of). It’s those days I think of on a quiet Fall day, before engines made the neighbourhood noisy.

Growing up on a farm of the old type, our tractor was often busy planting crops in spring, bringing in hay for the cattle, harvesting oats, barley and wheat, plowing the fields, trying to find ways to keep the lane open before snowblowers became common. It was seldom quiet.

By the time we bought our acreage farming was changing. As I say, “our” barn had been demolished.

The neighbour across the road, the last of the McGowans, grew white beans and wheat on “our” farm, with hay now and then for beef cattle he still kept on the home farm. Later he moved and rented out the land on what was once “our” farm to a large cash-cropping relative who grows soybeans and corn.

We hear the sound of motors infrequently from this large cashcropper. When we do, the equipment is huge, two or three combines taking off the crop on 250 acres in less than a day, Farming on these acres has changed so much in less than 200 years. Sometimes I wonder what the first settlers would think if they saw how we live today.◊

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Kate Procter Kate farms, hikes, canoes, and plays guitar in Huron County.

What are the neighbours up to now?

Checking out what is going on at your neighbours’ places seems to be a common thing for most farmers.

Whether you messed up planting… or are putting up a new building… or tearing down an old one… you can be sure you will see the slow drive by as the neighbours check it out. We always want to know how much rain fell on the next concession, and when everyone else has their combine rolling. Not to mention when the neighbours do something really nuts that you can’t even figure out from the road…

I’m sure there were some thoughts

along that line this spring as we started a new project that couldn’t be missed as you drove on our road.

And given that it is one of the main roads leading to our local landfill, our road is practically a rural superhighway.

I have written in a previous column about the fact that the Shorthorn cattle found new homes over the last few months of 2022.

That left several pastures vacant and ready for a new project. The land that we have used as pastures had long been considered unsuitable for cropping, mostly because of the Maitland River running through it.

The steep slopes leading down to the river and the floodplain are better put to other uses.

As a long time member of the Ontario Woodlot Association, I have been on different tours showcasing healthy woodlots and have learned about all the benefits they can bring to a farm. After one such tour several years ago, I had in my mind a great use for our pastures once the cows were not using those spaces.

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10 The Rural Voice

I called the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) and with much help from Shannon Millar, we started planning a tree planting project for the 2023 spring planting season. We have three areas and made separate plans for each, with two of these areas being planted in May. Covering 13 acres, Saugeen Conservation Authority staff planted 8,800 new seedlings, including 80 per cent conifers, 10 per cent hardwood, and 10 per cent shrubs.

Species included White Pine, White Spruce, White Cedar, Tamarack, Sugar Maple, Silver Maple, Bur Oak, Sycamore, Hackberry, Swamp White Oak, Black Willow, Ninebark, Redosier Dogwood, Elderberry, Smooth Arrowwood, and Pussy willows.

Tree planting on our farm is nothing new. We have planted many windbreaks over the years. My Dad had planted several areas roughly 60 years ago with white pine and spruce, and one of the new projects is an extension of his original planting. At the time, they planted trees for some of the same reasons we are planting now – to have useful trees rather than allow the areas to grow up with weeds and to improve water quality.

At that time, the local townships were also hoping to develop lands to be recreational areas and the Junior Farmers group helped plant some of those trees. Today, that area is still used by many people who access the river to fish and boat.

Data from the MVCA shows that 40 per cent of the streams in the watershed need buffers restored. This adds up to about 1,300 km. An additional 16,000 acres of floodplain, riparian areas, and river valley also need restoration work. Forest Health Studies, conducted every five years, reveal that forest cover in the MVCA watershed continues to shrink.

Between the years of 1985 to 2000, there was a loss of 635 acres; between 2015 and 2020, there was a loss of 509 acres.

Walking along the river last fall, it was disturbing to see that a jungle of giant ragweed had already started to establish itself. If you haven’t seen this weed for yourself – it is difficult to describe in a way that does it justice – but in places it towered over

me and is easily double my height.

Short jokes aside, it is a weed that we definitely do not want gaining a hold of our former pasture areas and from there jumping into the fields.

The final project area along the river is not accessible or visible from the road and has a portion that stays wet year round. It has provided a valuable service all these years as a natural holding area for water that has come from the tile drain outlets and allowed any sediment to settle out before reaching the river. As we discussed what to do in that area, we decided that with a little excavation, we could form a pond that would support ducks and still retain its settling pond function.

Working with Ducks Unlimited (DU) and MVCA, we decided to go forward with a plan that included planting White Cedar, Tamarack, White Pine, White Spruce, Silver Maple, Black Willow, Basswood, Bur Oak, and Sycamore. The species for all the plantings were selected with a focus on what will thrive in the future in this area. The excavation happened earlier in the summer when the area was at its driest and 2,800 seedlings will be planted next spring. DU has conserved and restored over one million acres in Ontario since 1974.

They have 2,002 projects and 3,723 landowner partners “supporting phosphorous reduction, biodiversity, clean water, and overall watershed health,” (ducks.ca).

Support for the projects will come from DU for the duck pond area, Environment and Climate Change Canada through their Nature Smart Climate Solutions Program, the Huron Clean Water Project (HCWP), as well as the MVCA. HCWP has helped complete 3,645 projects throughout the County, including planting 674,878 trees on 1,001 acres, 232 km of windbreaks, upgrading 432 private wells, and helping establish 40,000 acres of cover crops, (huroncounty.ca).

While the areas may not look that great yet – I have high hopes that in a few years the trees planted this spring will thrive and not raise as many questions in the minds of drivers-by as they do now. ◊

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November 2023 11

Jeffrey Carter Jeffrey is a freelance journalist based in Dresden, Ontario.

Across the bay and back again We had an opportunity to rent a cottage in Shrewsbury, the little hamlet on Rondeau Bay in ChathamKent, in early September. There is a canal at the back and a launch nearby, a convenient location for the small wooden sailboat I built some 20-odd years ago.

We took it across the bay twice that week, taking advantage of the breeze that blows more often than not from the southwest, landing on the narrow sand spit, the bay to one side and Lake Erie on the other.

It is the prevailing wind of that place that determined, at least in part, the location of Shrewsbury more than 200 years ago. From the entrance of the bay, wind-powered vessels can move back and forward to the hamlet with little fuss most days.

Alas, Shrewsbury didn’t become the safe harbour envisioned by its early surveyors, the waters of the bay being far too shallow for larger vessels.

I was on the bay a few years ago when the water level was low, a torturous experience even with little Radagast that can navigate a body of water not much larger than a puddle.

The issue is not so much the depth of the water but the abundance of aquatic vegetation. This year, there wasn’t an issue. Water levels are high and it appears the farmers within the bay’s watershed are keeping more of their agricultural nutrients on their land than once was the case.

On our first trip, we traversed the first leg of the trip, a matter of a mile or two, in about an hour, sailing as close to the wind as possible. There were three boaters already there, including a little boy and his

12 The Rural Voice

grandfather, a fellow, we learned that has worked as a fisherman on Erie and Huron since the age of 15, a span of nearly 50 years.

The two had arrived in a welded, steel boat. In the harbour at Erieau, across the entrance to the bay, lay the commercial fishing boat on which he is currently employed. The circumstance shouted, this fellow loves being on the water, whether at work or play.

We seemed to share a certain derision for pleasure boats with big motors and a respect for the power of the Great Lakes and, for that matter, smaller bodies of water as well. He told me of spending a night on Huron, caught in the ice of winter with no sign of shore, darkness encompassing the small haven of light and warmth.

Radagast is less than 16 feet in length, with a beam of four feet and eight inches. Flat-bottomed in the American tradition and designed by a boatbuilder for the Finger Lakes in New York State, she draws a few inches with the centerboard up. Rows easily. Sails adequately with her standing lug rig but doesn’t point – sail into the wind – particularly well.

I took Radagast solo under oar down the Thames, from Delaware to Lighthouse Cove, over the course of

four days and three nights, camping along the bank. I saw eagles, a greathorned owl, heard the splashes of spiny softshell turtles, learned that muskrats and beaver cooperate under certain circumstances, and at the Moraviantown rapids near Thamesville saw traditional fishing traps extended from poles from the bank.

In Lake Opeongo in Algonquian Park, we took Radagast to a little island in the East Arm with little in the way of rowing, a matter of 15 miles or so, camped for a few days, and sailed all the way back as the breeze was favourable once again.

That doesn’t happen often in an inland lake surrounded by hills.

Within the isles of Georgian Bay, my son and I scudded along in a strong breeze, sail reefed, Russell bailing constantly. Approaching us on the other “tack” was a two-masted vessel, the master of which offered us a salute as we passed. Then we turned, the wind behind, surfing the swells, jibing violently at one point and at another Radagast’s bow in a slanting downward rush coming close to being overwhelmed. Minutes later we made it to the point at Killbear to calmer waters.

With a small boat free of motor, every trip is an adventure. ◊

Radagast is less than 16 feet in length and is a flat‐bottom boat designed in the American tradition. She rows easy and sails adequately but doesn’t point sail into the wind particularly well.

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Mabel’s Grill The world’s problems are solved daily ’round the table at Mabel’s Grill.

“ Here we go to another long, cold winter,” George Mackenzie sighed as he took up a menu at Mabel’s Grill the other day. “The winters seem to get longer every year!”

“Actually, seems like the winters have been shorter, the last few years,” said Dave Winston.

“Well I’m hoping that it gets cold enough that the racoons hibernate,” Cliff Murray said. “I could use a rest from them for a few months.”

“You’ve got racoons?” asked Molly Whiteside as she came up to take their orders. “They’re so cute!”

“Oh sure!” George exploded.

“They’re cute when they’re in the bush, but there’s nothing cute about them when they’re in your attic!”

“Or a pair of them get up outside your bedroom window and start a debating society at two in the

morning, like they did last night,” Cliff moaned. “Then the dog heard them and wanted out to get at them!”

“Yeah, but they’re funny to watch,” replied Molly.

“You aren’t feeding them!” Dave grouched. “I was looking at my corn field and I’m guessing they’ve knocked down a couple of hundred bucks worth of corn.”

“Oh,” Molly said quietly, then took their orders and headed back to the kitchen.

“I’ve got a son who lives in Toronto,” George said. “He tells me they have a population of around 200,000 raccoons in Toronto.”

“Sometimes I swear I must have about that many in my corn field,” sighed Dave.

“I was reading they’re estimated over a million racoons live in Ontario,” George said.

“Sometimes I think the whole million are outside my bedroom window!” Cliff said.

“Sounds like they might be easy pickings if you have a shotgun. I can come over if you give me a call,” Dave volunteered

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“Oh I’m sure my neighbours would be thrilled if we set off a few blasts at that time of the morning and disturbed their sleep,” Cliff sighed.

“Too bad it’s the time of the year when you can’t get a little shut-eye after lunch,” said Dave.

“Oh I’m hoping to get a nap this afternoon,” Cliff said.

“What? With all the corn still to be harvested?” Dave asked.

“I’ve only got 35 acres and I can miss my nap the day you bring your combine over to harvest it,” Cliff smirked.

“Yeah, while I still have 500 acres to be combined!” Dave grumbled.

“Well that the nice thing about having cattle,” George put in. “We got our hay in and the silage corn came off in early October, so the summer season is pretty well over.”

“Oh those were the good old days,” sighed Dave. “I remember my Dad said he hardly grew any corn back when he farmed.”

“Those must have been different times,” Cliff said. “I’m reading this book by a woman who grew up about the same time as I did but she was the daughter of a Hippie mother and lived in B.C. and Alberta.”

“We had a bunch of Hippies rented an old farm house near us,” George remembered.

“Must have been an education,” Cliff smirked. “In the book these people seemed mostly to go naked .”

“I don’t know about out there, but they didn’t do it here,” George said.

“Too many mosquitoes.”

“We’re just talking about Hippies and when they used to live around here,” Dave explained to Molly when she arrived with their breakfasts.

“Before my time,” Molly said.

“It wouldn’t be as much fun these days, now that marijuana is legal,” Dave said.

“Not for some people,” Molly said. “There were some guys in town here who got arrested for a grow-op in their basement. Apparently they were growing more than they were allowed to and selling it illegally.”

“Yeah, only when the little guy gets in on the action do the police crack down,” George grumbled.

“Huh! Sounds like somebody from my book about the sixties,” Cliff grinned. ◊

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Mel Luymes Mel Luymes works in agriculture and conser‐ vation and blogs at headlands.ca

Agriculture can be a huge part of the solution to climate change This month, can we talk about greenhouse gas and climate change?

As I’m writing this, I’m cramming for a panel discussion at the Canadian Alliance for Net-Zero Agri-food event that is … tomorrow, eek!

And if you’re already feeling angry after the first sentence, please keep reading. Because if you’ve heard about GHGs and climate change before, there is a good chance it was framed as the end of the world, with cow toots as the problem and

only farmers to blame. And that is simply not true.

The issue is complex and there is a lot of disinformation out there, so it makes sense that this issue would be hijacked by other agendas and that farmers would feel defensive.

Let’s start with a few deep breaths. In. Out. In. Out. And let’s remember that farmers are not anti-science. We love science, we use it every day.

So, what does the research actually say?

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), agriculture is responsible for only five per cent of Ontario’s GHG emissions.

Agriculture is behind transportation (32 per cent), buildings (25 per cent), and industry and manufacturing (23 per cent) and others. And our GHG emissions have been going down over the last 20 years.

I bet that is not what you were expecting from ECCC, eh?

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agriculture. Last week, I got to hear about Dr. Christine Baes’ research lab at the University of Guelph and how they are working to select for dairy cows that have higher feed conversion rates AND produce less methane.

I’ve chatted with Dr. Andrew VanderZaag at Agriculture and Agrifood Canada (AAFC) about his findings that acidifying a manure pit to a pH of 6.3 reduces methane emissions by 89 per cent. University of Guelph’s Dr. Claudia WagnerRiddle measured that simply emptying a manure pit fully reduces methane emissions by 55 per cent.

And less methane emissions from manure means more carbon going back to the fields.

There is also incredible research into electric tractors, solar-powered robots, cover crops, precision tillage and precision fertilizers. And water management too! I just spent a few hours listening to Iowa State University’s Dr. Mike Castellano’s research that demonstrates how drainage reduces nitrous oxide emissions by 50 per cent and controlled drainage would also drastically improve nitrogen efficiency.

Oh, maybe I should back up a bit.

What are these greenhouse gases?

For starters, they are natural, and they are necessary; they absorb heat, forming a cozy blanket in our Earth’s atmosphere. These gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) mainly. But they aren’t created equally. Methane holds about 25 times more heat than CO2 but only stays up there for 12 years or so.

Nitrous oxide, on the other hand, holds nearly 300 times more heat than CO2 and stays in the atmosphere for over a century.

Over time, these gases are accumulating, and the blanket is getting thicker, as it were. There is consensus among scientists that the elevated levels of these gases have impacted global temperatures and will continue to influence long-term climate patterns. Obviously, climate and weather impacts farmers, so it is critical that agriculture stays at the

table.

Another good reason to stay in the conversation is that, while Ontario agriculture may only be a small part of the problem, it can be a huge part of the solution. Ontario’s soils can hold more carbon than they currently do, and more carbon in the soil also means less nitrogen input requirements, more water holding capacity to withstand drought, more biology and faster nutrient cycling, etc. All good things.

As we know, carbon gets into the soil through living roots, manure and organic amendments, reducing soil disturbance, and all of the practices that were promoted through the OnFarm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF). And there is likely to be many more federal, provincial and private funding opportunities in the future. That may even include getting paid for these practices through a carbon market.

But all of these climate-smart farming opportunities mean nothing if Ontario farmers are convinced that climate change is a hoax.

I get that farmers should be skeptical; we have seen political agendas swing back and forth over time and, in Ontario, many may not be experiencing the drastic weather changes predicted. As well, this issue is deeply personal, impacting livelihoods and cultural norms in rural areas, and it would be easier if it weren’t real. But most concerning in my opinion, is that the media has polarized this issue. And not just social media but also some of our agricultural media has done a disservice by spreading disinformation.

Why should our own agricultural leaders get us all fired up against the public, politicians and scientists, when these are the very people who are investing their time and money into solutions for agriculture. This is a difficult situation, but I still see a lot of hope for good change and for farmers to emerge as the superheroes they are.

This is the time to be at the table, and that’s where I’m going to be tomorrow. Wish me luck! ◊

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Equine

Horsenalities parallel human personalities Endangered Newfoundland ponies are repopulating at Poppy’s Haven and their good-natured personalities make them excellent therapeutic animals

V

anessa Strike has long known horses are therapeutic and with the herd of six critically endangered Newfoundland ponies at Poppy’s Haven near Varna, she offers Equine Assisted Learning and Wellness (EAL, EAW).

“My horse training began as traditional but as I grew, I moved into natural horsemanship and positive reinforcement,” says Strike, who has her PhD in business and research, and has taught family business at Erasmus in the Netherlands, the University of British Columbia and Ivey Business School. “I could see how horses, as nonjudgemental, sentient beings, had much to teach us…

• By Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot • especially about human social dynamics. Horses are social, they live in a herd, they are present and they look for leadership.”

Business, research and teaching is what Strike’s life was all about before she had horses. She grew up a child obsessed with horses but most of her adult life was focused on her career. Then, 10 years ago, she sadly lost a baby while she was in second trimester.

Strike and her husband, Stephen, a professor, had nicknamed the baby “Poppy.” Around the same time, Strike researched “Newfoundland ponies” and added “Poppy” to the search and a pony with that name came up!

“I contacted the breeder but we had so much on the go, I decided not to purchase the pony,” remembers Strike. However, the breeder did not forget that call. When she decided to retire, she called Strike and asked her to consider buying Poppy again. This time, Strike agreed and so began a chain of events.

First, she bred Poppy because when you have horses from an endangered breed, the goal is for every mare to produce two to three foals. Poppy ended up with one foal, and Strike purchased another mare that is now pregnant with her third foal. Before she knew it, there were six Newfoundland ponies in total, all mares.

During this time, Strike earned her Equine Assisted Learning certificate and took courses in Equine Facilitated Wellness with a goal to merge her love of horses with her skill at teaching, and live the motto that directs her life: “If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, or cool one pain, or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain.” which was written by Emily Dickinson.

As her herd grew, the search began for a farm where Strike and family could house the horses and Teaching the Newfoundland ponies to step up is an important part offer EAL and EAW with these gentle, friendly ponies. What was once called the old Mustard farm of their Victory training before loading the ponies on trailers. outside of Varna caught their eye with its huge bank Owner and trainer, Vanessa Strike uses natural horsemanship to barn, noted to be one of the oldest in Huron County. It train the ponies while also offering Equine Assisted Learning and was not horse ready but $200,000 later, the barn was Wellness at the Varna‐area farm, called Poppy’s Haven.

18 The Rural Voice

repaired and remodeled with horse stalls, a loafing area inside and out, pastures and a track feeding system to help keep these ponies fit and trim.

It’s now a gorgeous, spacious barn and while Strike says it’s “still not finished” it is ready enough to launch her new career.

“Many of the issues we see in family farm are not about the business, but more about family dynamics and ownership,” says Strike, speaking from her expertise in family business. “We learn about these dynamics with the horses in a non-judgemental environment and then apply them back to our own lives.”

As she continues to learn about horses and people, she says “horsenalities” are similar to humans.

“They can be introverts, extroverts, left-brained or right-brained,” says Strike. “The behaviours we see have parallels to human interactions.” As Strike has clients work with the horses by brushing them, walking them and asking them to listen to their commands, there is a connection between horse and human. Strike facilitates by asking questions and encouraging clients to apply the horse/human concepts back to their own lives. “This is where the power lies. This is where the lightbulb moment happens. We first understand it in the horses and their dynamics and then we are gently guided to understand it so much more in our own lives,” says Strike.

Working with the horses also teaches clients how to set boundaries, while building confidence and the ability to self-regulate. Horses are herd animals and look for leadership from their humans. If the human doesn’t provide it, the horse will take leadership.

“Most of us did not grow up learning how to regulate our emotions. It was not part of the vocabulary. Horses teach us to coregulate,” writes Strike on her Facebook page. “As prey animals, horses react to what our body is doing. We, as their leaders, need to be self-aware and regulate our emotions in order for them to feel safe. This allows us to experience what it means to co-regulate with others, and increase our ability to

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November 2023 19

regulate ourselves, all in a nonjudgemental environment.

Remember, the leader is the calmest one in the room.”

Strike is working with a few teenage girls right now who have a variety of challenges including selfharm issues, social anxiety issues and selective mutism. Questions about what they feel and notice are asked and the horses/human connection does the rest. Strike stresses that she is not a therapist and doesn’t do therapy as this is out of her scope of practice. Instead, she will work with social workers and psychologists when asked.

Strike also works with groups and offers obstacle course activities with the horses. In groups of four, one person can’t hear, another can’t speak, another can’t see and one can’t touch. They are required to combine their skills to learn teamwork, trust and leadership. Yoga and wellness retreats are also offered at the farm.

For now, the work being done at Poppy’s Haven is part-time (though taking care of the horses is more fulltime work). Strike maintains a research affiliation with University of Western Ontario in London. She is also a mother to one grown son and two young daughters.

Personally, Strike finds the work “incredibly rewarding”. There are times when the work of taking care of six ponies and the responsibility of breeding them makes her wonder if she’d be better to just have a few and ride them when she wants. But then she gets a call from a family she is working with Vanessa Strike (middle) started out with one Newfoundland pony and now has six mares at Poppy’s Haven near Varna where an old bank barn was remodelled to house the ponies and offer space for Equine Assisted Learning and Wellness sessions.

20 The Rural Voice

Vanessa Strike, Poppy’s Haven

who are so appreciative of the therapeutic value of working with the horses that it erases her doubts and energizes her once again.

Plus, volunteers help when needed to care for the horses and the ponies themselves are so affectionate. “They don’t seem to have the sauciness of other ponies. These Newfoundland ponies are gentle, curious and easy to train,” says Strike. (See sidebar for more information on Newfoundland ponies).

She does Liberty work with the herd, which is a natural horsemanship method of training where work is done with the horse while it is loose, without rope or reins. Strike demonstrates it with one of the ponies, asking her to stand on a barrel, a prerequisite to teaching the ponies to step up into a trailer. At her signal, the pony stood proudly on the barrel, quite content to stay while the other ponies watched.

For more photos and information, Poppy’s Haven can be found on Facebook and online at poppyshaven.com ◊

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Newfoundland ponies known for common sense

A

ccording to the Newfoundland Pony website, the Newfoundland Pony is an important heritage breed which developed in Newfoundland and Labrador over the centuries.

The Newfoundland Pony is known for its strength, courage, intelligence, obedience, and common sense. Newfoundland Ponies are hard workers and easy keepers and are a breed unique to this province.

The ancestors of the Newfoundland Pony arrived with the Island’s early settlers from the British Isles. They were primarily Exmoor, Dartmoor and New Forest ponies and to a lesser extent, Welsh Mountain, Galloway (now extinct), Highland and Connemara ponies. They were hardy creatures who were already well adapted to the harsh climate of the islands of the North Atlantic. Isolated from the rest of the world, the ponies intermingled for hundreds of years, breeding in the seclusion of Newfoundland’s coves to produce a sturdy pony uniquely its own.

In the past, the Newfoundland Pony ploughed gardens; hauled fishing nets, kelp and wood; gathered hay; and provided their families with transportation around the Island. The centrepiece of many weddings in fact, was often a pony and a carriage that proudly carried the bride to the church on her wedding day.

In the 1970s and 80s, the ponies were replaced by tractor power, cars and ATVs. It cost money to feed and keep a pony and many Newfoundlanders could not afford to keep them. When the Province brought in anti-roaming animal by-laws, it meant that fences had to be built to keep ponies in. This added even more expense to keeping a pony with the loss of the common ground for grazing.

The darkest part of the Newfoundland Pony’s history was during this period when horse dealers combed the island looking for ponies to ship to mainland slaughter plants. There, they were destined for the dinner tables of France and Belgium. According to records, in 1980 alone, approximately 700 ponies were shipped out of the province to Quebec.

To protect this special and historic pony, the Newfoundland Government has recognized it as a Heritage Animal. It is estimated that the current Newfoundland Pony population is between 500600 animals in Canada and the U.S. Many are gelded or aged mares, so not suitable for breeding purposes. An ongoing effort on the part of concerned individuals from across Canada has stabilized the population. However, the Newfoundland Pony continues to be identified as a critically endangered species.

Today, the Newfoundland Pony is used for riding, driving and light work. They have an excellent temperament for young people to ride and excel under Newfoundland ponies at Poppy’s Haven saddle, and in harness. ◊ November 2023 21

Equine

Crane flies down the chute one last time Dwayne Crane of Embro has been barrel racing since he could walk but his body is tired and he is retiring...yet he still has a lot to say about horses!

By Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot Derek Crane is retiring after a lifetime barrel racing horses across Ontario. ~Photo submitted

I

t took a while for Dwayne Crane’s mind to match his body because at 62, he was still barrel racing even though his back and hips were saying “no, no, no.”

Hard as it was, the decision to retire was made. A dinner with the Crane family’s fellow horse association friends was had and the last two barrel racing horses were sold.

Matt Lee, general manager of the REACH centre in Clinton where the Cranes have raced for years, said “you should do a story on this barrel racing family.”

So I chatted with Dwayne’s son, Derick, and he said the family doesn’t normally do things like this, even though they’ve won about all there is to win in the barrel racing circuit. Nevertheless, he saw it as a tribute to his dad, which is why he went back to the sport seven years ago.

“My dad grew up with horses and has been barrel racing since he could walk,” recalls Derick who lives in Ingersoll while his parents live near Embro. Derick and his brother Chris have been involved with barrel racing off and on over the years while his mom has been a secretary and treasurer of the Ontario Barrel Racing Association. His dad has been both president and a long-time director of the OBRA. “My dad always had horses. At one time we were up to nine horses but my mom said we had to downsize,” says Derick. Showing ponies until they were about 10, the lure of dirt bikes, 4-wheelers and getting paid for work took the brothers away from the racing circuit for many years.

22 The Rural Voice

Then, seven years ago, Derick wanted to spend more time with his father. Since his dad’s passion was barrel racing, Derick got back into the sport. It was a great seven years but with his father’s health issues and his own desire to move up in his career and spend time with family, it was time to step back. Their last show together was in October.

“We went to the Crane Classic and that was my dad’s last time going down the chute,” says Derick. Dwayne rode Flawless Frenchman, aka “Boon” with whom Dwayne has won a few futurities. Boon has been sold to the Catulli family who will continue to race him. The families are friends so the Cranes can go visit him when they want.

Derick says his dad has “got more buckles and trophy saddles” than I could ever dream of. “He is a very accomplished rider.” Dwaye learned from his father, who learned from his father, who learned from his father before that. Horsemanship is in their blood and racing a passion that took them to over 45 shows a season.

Chatting with Dwayne next, he says his grandfather was the one who started the Thames Valley Riders in North Perth. “We grew up with horses. Back in the 1970s the other kids had mini bikes and we had horses, so that is what I spent my time with.”

Horses are special animals, says Dwayne. “Horses are very responsive and my way of looking at it is you can drive a fast car or motorcycle, then you shut it off and put it away. But a critter has to be looked after. More than half of

my time is spent looking after the horses….it’s companionship is what it is.”

When asked if he’s had a favourite horse over the years, Dwayne said “They’ve pretty much all been tough runners. I had a little quarter horse who made money every time he went in the pen but every horse I’d run has done well. The last three horses over the past 12 years have been strong runners and that last fella, Boon, runs in the top 15 or 20 out of the 300-400 barrel racing horses in Ontario.”

When choosing horses, he always looks for a soft eye. “If it has a soft eye, it is compassionate and easier to work with. I also look at size and coordination. Really, I just sit back and look and I like what I see, I proceed to work with it.”

For Dwaye, it was always barrel racing. He says he’s not a “bulldogger” or into rodeo. “My grandfather and dad, well, they barrel raced so you follow along.”

Plus, it’s such a rush! “That first 90 feet is amazing. There is nothing like it,” he says. “You go from zero to 40 miles an hour in a few steps and it is crazy fun. The rest of the run is fun too but if you don’t get that first good barrel, you don’t get a good run.”

Dwayne also enjoys pleasure riding and says it’s important for the horse too. “They need to do something else besides run, run, run.”

He admits the last two horses haven’t been the greatest pleasure horses because they were “bred a little hotter” for more speed but the family had some great trail horses over the years.

This year will be the first time in his life he has been without horses.

“If I didn’t hurt so bad, it would probably be different,” he admits.

But a youth spent riding and playing all-star hockey, plus a spirit that wants to go, go, go, has caught up with him.

“He is very hard on his body,” says Carol, who has been adding commentary in the background of this phone call.

I asked him if he wanted to get some mini horses or something to

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ease the transition.

“Hell no!” he said. “No minis. Because for the first time in all these years we can come and go as we please.”

It’s clear the couple is looking forward to retirement, without being tied down and spending all season driving to shows. “We just want to do more things ourselves. See Ontario even. Yes, we have traveled to horse shows but we haven’t gone much farther than the horse show,” adds Carol.

Both have loved Dwayne’s barrel racing career and the barrel racing community which Carol calls “one big family” which was proven at the retirement dinner where everyone had a chance to say goodbye. Dwayne said when they started barrel racing they were the “babies” and now, “we are the older ones.”

It’s been a good long ride. ◊

Derek Crane (top and left) of Embro grew up barrel racing because its what his father and great grandfather did. He loved the “rush” to racing toward the first barrel and in his years racing, won innumerable belt buckles, saddles and other awards.

He passed his love of horses onto his son Derick (above, at the Reach centre in Clinton) seen with his two sons who rode as a young boy and then again for seven years as an adult to be close to his dad. Now, both are retiring and the barrel racing association will be without a longstanding barrel racing family. ~Photos submitted November 2023 25

Sheep

Wool waste to soil amendment Eco-Wool has created a solution to a long-term problem with a pelletized wool soil supplement • By Julianna Van Adrichem

When Jennifer Osborn first became a sheep farmer, she thought wool was in high demand. Turns out, there is a lack of demand so she researched how she could use her leftover wool and is now creating wool pellets as a soil amendment.

J

ennifer Osborn of All Sorts Acres has been farming sheep for 15 years and in her struggle to find a market for their wool, she has created an entirely new product and one that farmers will love.

Most don’t know, but less than three per cent of sheep wool in Canada is appropriate for clothing, industrial uses, or any other purpose. Osborn discovered this after cofounding the first International Fibreshed Affiliate, hours of hands-on research, reading sources from across the world, poking through history, and talking with other sheep farmers. In Canada, a very small amount of sheep wool is used to produce… well… anything.

By her best estimate, even very little of the better quality wool isn’t processed due to a lack of demand and processing capacity, both in Canada and internationally.

Shepherds’ options are to deliver the wool to the closest wool depot and be paid an amount that won’t even cover the fuel cost to get the wool there, let alone cover the cost of shearing, store the wool in a barn, or dispose of it in a burn pile, taking it to the landfill, or dumping it in the back acreage.

But, Jennifer discovered there was a fourth option: 26 The Rural Voice

pelletizing wool to be used as a soil amendment. Beyond being an economical solution for sheep farmers, and a great solution to a big waste problem, the pellets provide a long list of benefits to soil.

It started with two sheep in 2008 Osborn’s journey began with the unexpected gift of two Shetlands. She reminisces, “the sheep were free and they needed a home, so they stayed. Little did I know that those two fuzzy critters would be the reason I would have a barn full of raw wool 15 years later!”

The spring following Itchy and Scratchy’s arrival, they needed to be sheared. Sheep shearing is hard, dirty, tiring work that breaks backs and takes off fingers (not that those accidents happened on this little farm!) One after the next, sheep must be wrestled or at least persuaded to shear their fleece and relieve them of six months’ worth of wool –

about six pounds (2.7 kg) on average.

Jennifer recalls that she got into sheep farming, “with a bit of idealism that all of our wool would be not only usable but wanted – boy was I wrong”. This was disappointing, to say the least. On top of being unable to sell her wool, she hated to be producing more waste in a world full of ecological issues. Not to mention, she “only had so much acreage to dump that wool on!”

Jennifer wouldn’t accept this sorry fate for her wool: surely there was another solution for this oncevaluable material. She says, “being the tenacious, some would even say ‘stubborn’ type, I kept seeking solutions and talked to everyone I could about using waste wool”: from other farmers to government officials. Ideas and concepts were vast and with the support of COIL (Circular Opportunity Innovation Launchpad) in Guelph, EcoWool Canada Inc. came to life. It is the shared vision of having non-food agricultural and organic waste returned to the land in pellet form to provide a long list of benefits and solutions.

What happened? Didn’t wool use to be a popular commodity?

Wool has historically been a valuable natural fibre, with many uses – from warm clothing to upholstery stuffing. It was one of the first commodities to enter international (with Europeans’ involvement) trade, and from the 17th to the first half of the 20th century, wool textiles were a leading global industry.

However, in the mid-1900’s things began to change as fierce competition from synthetic fibers caused the demand for woolen products to drop dramatically. This, of course, led to a plummeting of raw wool’s market price to below the cost of shearing and transportation.

Other factors also affected the demand for wool. As the market for textile-grade wool dropped, farmers switched to breeds that were better for meat - the tradeoff being that their sheep grew rougher, scratchier wool containing a lot of kemp (coarse fibres), making it practically

unusable for textiles, but still needing to be sheared regularly for the animal’s welfare. Furthermore, a decreasing number of potential buyers even for high-grade wool, and diminishing infrastructure for collecting, washing, and trading that wool made the industry economically unsustainable.

There is an enormous amount of raw wool that doesn’t leave sheep farms or go to landfills. Because of this, it is very hard to accurately

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Bayfield Santa Claus Parade

Goderich Santa Claus Parade

Join us for Christmas In Bayfield November 17-19

Teeswater Christmas Parade

Saturday, November 18

Saturday, November 18

6:30 pm

5:30 pm

Friday 7pm Lighting of Clan Gregor Square Saturday 11am Parade; Santa in the square following Saturday & Sunday - Carriage Rides in town Entertainment all weekend!

Up to date info at villageofbayfield.com Shopping all season!

Come and join us for Goderich’s Festival of Lights.

Entertainment will start at 6:30 pm in Courthouse Park and the Lighting of the Lights will take place at 7pm with Parade to follow.

Contact: Tourism Goderich 519-524-6600 or 1-800-280-7637

Starting at south end of town and travelling north Organized by Kinsmen & Agricultural Society Floats will be judged. Prize money donated by South Bruce Community Business Association Free Public Skating 6:30-8:00 pm Come out and enjoy a great Parade and visit with Santa

Woodstock Santa Claus Parade

Lucknow Santa Claus Parade

Come to the Annual Wroxeter Parade

Santa Claus is coming to town!

Friday, November 24

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18 6:00 pm Also, visit Mr. & Mrs. Claus at the Lighting of Museum Square on Friday, November 17, 5:30-7:30 pm www.cityofwoodstock.ca/santa for full event details

Downtown at 7:00 pm Theme: Christmas Around The World Meet with Santa, Christmas treats and free skating at the Lucknow Arena after the parade Sponsored by Lucknow Kinsmen and Lucknow and District Chamber of Commerce

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Waste wool (left) is being pelletized for use as a soil amendment by Eco‐Wool Canada Inc., a new business by Jennifer Osborn of All Sorts Acres near Ayton.

determine just how much waste wool there is in the world. Additionally, the wool supply chain produces huge amounts of waste at each stage: carding, combing, spinning, and weaving.

Whether the wool will be sold or not, regular shearing is required for sheep health, so farmers continue to shear their sheep’s wool for their welfare with no profit in sight.

Baaaaad news for Canadian Wool Production In Canada, we are still dealing with the aftereffects of COVID on global trade. The pandemic caused a significant drop in demand for our wool and a reduction in prices, especially since newly-sheared wool is always ready to come on the scene!

China has historically been the main market for Canadian Wool, but very stringent COVID mandates and extreme heat due to climate change have led the government to reduce production hours. As a result, they have been buying less and less of our wool.

Previously, we produced blankets, stuffing, mattresses, carpets, and much more from our Canadian wool.

This required manufacturing

capabilities from scouring (washing) mills to spinning and weaving mills – most of which are now closed down.

Left are the brave and pioneering mini-mills that take fleeces from small flocks, processing them for handmade markets. These mills are reinventing our fibre landscape, but they only have the capacity to handle the best raw wool.

Wool Pellets - a solution to waste wool After years of research and consideration, Osborne had an idea.

As it turns out, wool makes an incredible soil amendment. By pelletizing it for use in agricultural or small-scale gardening, she could close the loop on wool, returning the nutrients to the soil locally to improve farm fertility.

Besides being lightweight and easy to move around and spread over your acreage, there are many other benefits you can expect from using this exceptional soil amendment: like a sponge, wool is very effective at absorbing and releasing moisture as conditions around it change. Wool can absorb up to 30% of its own weight in water during rainfalls, later releasing it slowly into the soil. This

steady supply of moisture to the soil from wool is a great way of stabilizing soil moisture and protecting plants from drowning.

Wool’s ability to absorb moisture means that the pellets expand, aerating the soil, improving the soil’s ability to retain oxygen, and building soil structure.

They also make great mulch and are an effective alternative to plastic row covers, reducing vast amounts of plastic waste. You’ll never again have to worry about plastic covers tearing and degrading, making you feel guilty for creating plastic waste!

Used as a mulch, pellets also provide protection to the soil from pounding rain, retaining the soil structure and reducing erosion.

Wool is a rich source of nitrogen and potassium, (NPK = 10.0.3) so it promotes plant growth while not adding to the phosphorus load. The nitrogen is also released slowly, thus avoiding nitrate leaching and runoff before plants can utilize the nutrient.

Studies have shown that the use of wool pellets can result in higher yields!

Conclusion Jennifer may have had a rude awakening during her first shearing in 2007. Still, her journey to turn Ontario’s wool into a valuable resource will be of great benefit to sheep farmers and crop growers alike.

They plan to eventually have the capacity to process about 50,000 kg of raw wool per year and make a significant dent in Ontario’s growing pile of waste wool.

Now that you know how much wool is just sitting around, underutilized, and how exceptional it is for soil, it seems so obvious to feed it to our plants, doesn’t it? What’s better than bringing a waste product full-circle, into a valuable and productive product that provides a laundry list of benefits to the soil and farmers in the process?

Osborn tells us, “I’m biased, but I’m going to say… not much.“ For more information about EcoWool, please visit their website ecowool.ca, and for All Sorts Acres, visit allsortsacres.ca. ◊ November 2023 29

Beef

Evolution in cattle feeding and management

By-products can reduce feeding costs but require testing to create a balanced ration Beef producer Jack Chaffe of Mitchell finishes about 3,000 head of cattle annually and is a fourth‐generation producer.

Editor’s Note: This article, featuring Perth County beef farmer Jack Chaffe, was originally published by the Beef Research Council and is reprinted with permission. It’s the third of a four-part series celebrating 25 years of industry investment into Canadian beef research.

P

roducers who background and finish beef cattle have learned a lot over the past quarter-century thanks to research, including acquiring a better understanding of how nutrition plays into maintaining the health of the animals and meeting market demand.

“There’s been a tremendous amount of research in this area,” says Dr. Karen Beauchemin, who is a retired principal research scientist of ruminant nutrition at the Lethbridge Research and Development Centre with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Dr. Karen Beauchemin Back in the early 1980s, Beauchemin remembers projects that showed how barley could be fed to cattle while avoiding acidosis. Under-processing the barley reduced its digestibility while over-processing it created greater fermentation in the rumen, producing more acid.

Adding forage to the feed optimized rumination, avoiding acidosis.

“We understood, finally, that we could feed barley safely, but we had to know how to process it properly,” she says, adding that the introduction of ionophores as feed additives also contributed to decreasing the risk of acidosis.

Barley is now, generally, the grain of choice for feedlot operators across Western Canada, although other grains such as corn and wheat are fed depending on their availability and cost.

30 The Rural Voice

Changes over the years “Working more closely with nutritionists is the biggest change I’ve seen over the years,” says Jack Chaffe, who finishes about 3,000 head of cattle annually at his operation north of Mitchell, Ontario. He’s a fourth-generation producer who’s also president of the Beef Farmers of Ontario and vice-president of the Ontario Cattle Feeders’ Association.

Ontario beef producer Jack Chaffe He says feeding more by-products from distillers means it’s crucial to have a balanced ration as well as to use the expertise of nutritionists.

Chaffe uses a wet fibre with syrup (FWS) on his operation, which is similar to wet distillers’ grain.

“It has a little less protein, more fibre and less fat,” he says, adding that he’s also been feeding corn screenings since the mid-1980s. His farm’s location in the heart of southern Ontario’s crop country helps.

“There are some falls where we’re taking screenings from five different elevators,” he says, noting that the quality can be variable from elevator to elevator, so he gets it tested, especially for protein and energy levels.

Dr. John McKinnon Dr. John McKinnon says that finishing weights are heavier today.

“In the 1980s, weights were about 1,200 to 1,300 pounds for steers, in the late ‘90s they were 1,350 to 1,400 and today, they’re up to 1,500 pounds and more,” says the professor emeritus at the University of Saskatchewan and consulting nutritionist.

A lot of the change is related to genetics, “hotter” diets (with higher grain content), and more aggressive implant programs.

Implants and additives Growth-promoting implants are used to increase cattle’s feed efficiency and weight gain and produce leaner carcasses.

McKinnon says that, in addition to the 90-to-120-day implants of the past, there are implants now that are active for 200 days in the animal’s ear.

“That gets us away from some reimplanting programs,” he says.

One feed additive is used as a repartitioning agent in the last 20 to 40 days of finishing to move the animal’s metabolism away from fat deposition towards making muscle.

“We’ve been able to have fewer cattle on feed but produce the same amount of beef as in the past, ” McKinnon says. “That means using fewer resources and producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions.”

Another new feed additive he mentions is unique in that it reduces ammonia gas emissions from finishing animals, contributing to the industry’s environmental sustainability.

Hotter diets McKinnon says that, whereas feedlot cattle diets used to be 70 to 80 percent cereal grains, today they are at 80 to 95 percent.

“We’re able to feed diets that are higher in energy,” McKinnon says.

In Ontario today, producers are supplementing feed with corn distillers’ grains (DDGs), which have a higher gross energy content than the original corn used during the fermentation process. These byproducts are also higher in protein.

While corn is the primary grain, DDGs can also be wheat- or sorghum-based.

“The feedlot industry in Ontario is almost based around the ethanol mandate, and we really felt it during the pandemic when DDGs were in tight supply,” Chaffe says.

Corn DDGs are a by-product of ethanol manufacturing. In 2007, the Ontario government mandated that regular gasoline had to have at least five percent ethanol content. That amount was doubled in 2020 and is on track to rise to 15 percent by 2030.

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Producers supplement feed with corn distillers’ grains (DDGs), which have a higher gross energy content than the original corn used during the fermentation process. These by‐products are also higher in protein. gasoline, so the market for ethanol dried up too.

“Producers were constantly on the phone to nutritionists trying to source different feedstuffs to keep a balanced ration,” he says. “There was about three weeks when there was next to nothing coming out of ethanol plants.”

After a bit of a scramble in which some producers used protein substitutes like soybean meal or wheat shorts and corn for energy, drivers went back on the roads, ethanol plants revved up production again and the supply chain restarted.

Many research projects into the effectiveness of DDGs as a feed ingredient have been conducted over the years, and many of them were funded by the Beef Cattle Research Council.

McKinnon says that grain used for feed in Manitoba is mostly corn with some barley, depending on price and supply. In Saskatchewan it’s mostly barley, with some increasing use of corn silage. In southern Alberta, supply and price determines whether corn and/or barley is used.

“In Western Canada, distillers’ grain is used as an energy and protein source in feedlots,” he says.

Beauchemin says that cost is a big factor in what producers feed cattle.

“The feedlot industry is very flexible, and it doesn’t rely on a single ingredient,” says Beauchemin.

“The diets are very fluid in terms of

price points for these various ingredients.”

She cites everything from food that would otherwise be wasted from grocery stores and restaurants, to meal made from pressing canola into oil and newer hybrids of corn.

On the last point, Beauchemin says there’s been a definite shift in Western Canada from barley silage to more corn silage over recent times.

“In the early 1980s, you couldn’t grow corn silage in the west,” she says. “With climate change causing a longer growing season, along with hybrids that have been developed to grow in more northerly climates, it allows us to grow corn silage, which is higher in energy than barley silage and is generally higher yielding for dry matter.”

In the last 10 years, a handful of larger feedlots in southern Alberta have begun installing steam flakers in their feed mills to further process both corn and barley.

Feeding cattle “hotter” or higher grain diets doesn’t come without its problems, and for that, the use of ionophores as feed additives has helped.

“They help with feed efficiency, preventing bloat and controlling acidosis to some degree,” McKinnon says, adding that antibiotic compounds help control liver abscesses and digestive upsets.

Feeding and bunk management also has improved over the years,

including the number of times of day the cattle are fed, how that feed is put out in the bunk, how the bunks are called (the amount of ration in a particular pen) in terms of the cattle’s intake levels and more.

McKinnon says that today, there’s a greater appreciation for the role of trace minerals like copper, manganese and selenium in a cow’s metabolism and immune response.

He says the introduction of micromachines has been a great leap forward in technology, providing an

efficient method for adding vitamins, minerals and antibiotic supplements to feed.

“In the past, they would need separate supplements for steers, heifers and weaned calves,” he says.

“Micro-machines are controlled by computer and they mix supplements for every load of feed.”

Market Demand McKinnon says that the lean meat yield on carcasses has decreased over the past 25 years.

“We’re feeding for more

marbling, but at the same time, we’re getting carcasses that are overall fatter than what we were seeing 25 years ago,” he says, adding that the market is not looking for either A or AA grade beef, but looking instead for AAA or higher grades.

Thanks to improved feeding practices in recent decades, beef quality has improved and, consequently, consumer demand for Canadian beef has increased. ~Source: Beef Cattle Research Council, www.BeefResearch.ca

Paisley Santa Claus Parade “Sugar and Spice” Friday, November 24 7:00 pm Donations to the Paisley Food Bank accepted during the parade.

Queen Street Paisley For information call/text: Karen Beech-McCullough 519-385-2404

Clinton Kinsmen & Kinette Santa Claus Parade

Chesley Kinsmen Santa Claus Parade

Hanover Rotary Santa Claus Parade

Friday, December 1

Friday, December 1

Saturday, December 2

7:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

Bring the family out to the Annual Santa Claus Parade.

Bill Meyers 519-440-8808 Susan Meyers 519-525-6280 sandbmeyers@gmail.com

Brussels Santa Claus Parade

Come out and enjoy the floats and festivities as Chesley welcomes Santa to town.

Sponsored by the Chesley Kinsmen Club.

Theme: Red, White and Green For more information visit EVENTS at rotaryofhanover.ca

Blyth Christmas Parade

Chatsworth Santa Claus Parade

Saturday, December 2

Saturday, December 9

5:00 pm

11:00 am

Theme: Christmas in July

Parade will line up at the BMG Arena between 4:30 pm and 5:00 pm ~ No registration required Meet and Greet with Santa after the parade at the BMG Community Food will be available for purchase

7:00 p.m.

Main Street, Hanover

Gather on main street to meet friends, neighbours and Santa Floats welcome, email for an entry form blythcommunitybetterment@gmail.com

Saturday, December 16

Theme.... “Christmas Critters” 10:30 am Parade begins at the old Chatsworth Community Centre.

Activities continue throughout the day as we celebrate with Christmas in the Village.

For more information, or to register a float, contact Sharrie 226-974-0334 sbrickonelderlane@gbtel.ca

November 2023 33

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Cybersecurity

Hackers are looking for a foothold on farms A new checklist can help farmers see where they might be a risk from hackers who will steal your data, your identity and your money

F

armers tend not to view themselves as family farms in, they will just wait.” and don’t realize they are big business and can have Arjan has been specializing in IT for 12 years with a their bank accounts wiped out by cyber attacks, says team of three. He works with a lot of ag-based businesses, a local manufacturer who has teamed with a computer livestock truckers and equipment dealers. But he knows specialist to get the word out. farmers really aren’t interested in cybersecurity. “It’s a “Once a hacker knows how to get in, they can sit and wait until the cheque for your beans comes in and • By Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot • then … it is gone,” says Tim Dwyer who works for Dwyer Manufacturing near Dublin in Huron County.

The bulk of Dwyer Manufacturing’s business are clients involved in agriculture and Dwyer says just from the emails coming in, he knows farmers are not secure. “I will get an email from what I know is a multi-million dollar farm but it’s a johndoe@gmail.com email. You can tell there is no backup there,” says Dwyer. “I know farmers would rather look after equipment and animals and figure out what variety of crop they need to grow in spring, but this is another thing they need to look at.”

To help them out, Dwyer sat down with his own IT specialist, Arjan van der Eijk of IT-WORKS Computer Sales and Repair near Gadshill in Perth County.

Together, they came up with a checklist (see sidebar) of what farmers can do to make themselves more secure. Arjan says the risk of cyber threats has grown.

“We used to be worried about viruses and trojans, but that is less of a worry as anti-virus programs have figured that out well,” explains Arjan. “Now we are dealing with ransomware, bank account compromise, email account compromise, hacker footholds and credential scraping.”

He believes it is critical farmers get educated because of all the different attack vectors and different ways criminals are after your data, online banking and email accounts.

“Hackers are smart,” says Arjan. “They know small businesses have not done a good job of keeping up to date to keep their systems protected. They consider small business to be the low-hanging fruit.”

Last year, statistics indicate over four trillion dollars in ransomware payments were made to hackers who are not, as we have imagined them, hiding down in their basement. “This is a nine-to-five job for people to hack you and steal from you.”

Arjan says anti-virus programs are just not enough. Arjan van der Eijk of IT‐WORKS Computer Sales and Repair in Business owners (and farmers are that) need programs Perth County says hackers aren’t just random people hiding in that detect phishing emails and anyone trying to their basements. They are criminals whose 9‐5 job is to get inside establish a foothold in your computer. “Once they are your computer and steal from you. ~Photo provided November 2023 35

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Cyber Security Farm Checklist 

Update Software and Devices: Keep all computers, smartphones and other devices up to date with the latest security patches and updates, enabling automatic updates wherever possible.  Strong Passwords: Use strong passwords for all accounts. Include uppercase, lowercase, number and special characters when creating a password. Avoid re-using the same or similar passwords. Do not store passwords in Chrome or Edge browzer. Instead use a secure password manager such as Keeper to securely store passwords.  Online Accounts: Enable multi-factor authentication where possible, expecially for online banking and email accounts.  Mobile Devices: Use password protection or biometric locks on mobile devices. Change any default passwords on voice mail and other programs. Enable remote wipe capabilities for lost or stolen devices.  Anti-virus: Ensure your computer systems are shielded Tim Dwyer, Dwyer Manufacturing Inc. with a robust antivirus software than includes ransomware huge challenge to raise awareness, to be honest. Farmers protection. However, beware that many malicious techniques are are not interested in reading about this stuff.”

But he believes cyber threats will turn more toward designed to circumvent antivirus solutions. To enhance your wire fraud and bank account compromise. “Farmers defence, consider exploring Endpoint Detection and Response have deep lines of credit so I can see that becoming (EDR) and Threat Hunting services for better comprehensive protection. more of an issue in the future,” says Arjan.

It’s happening already. In an article Dwyer wrote on  Firewall: Invest in a proper firewall solution together with the subject, he referenced a pork farmer in southwestern a web filtering solution to shield your network and prevent your Ontario that was locked out of his own computer while devices from connecting to potentially malicious URLs. the hacker demanded a confession. Interestingly, this  Backup Your Data Off-Site: Implement a regular hacker didn’t want money. He wanted an admission cloud backup schedule for all important data. Remember, from the farmer that he was mistreating his livestock. backups are not a “set and forget” thing. It’s essential to monitor The hackers threatened to release video footage of the your backups and perform test restores on a regular basis to alleged abuse if the farmer did not make a public verify the integrity and reliability of the stored data. admission of guilt.

“Fortunately, help from the Canada Centre for Cyber  Email Security: Avoid using free email accounts from Security was able to resolve the lock-out,” he states. your internet provider, or free services such as Google, Yahoo or “There was no video because the farm’s camera feeds Hotmail for business transactions as they often lack robust hadn’t been compromised and the Centre was able to business security controls. Instead use a business-grade email release his system.” account. Additionally, exercise caution by avoiding suspicious Dwyer said there are so many ways farmers are at links and attachments from unrecognized senders. Always risk of threat. Everyone has a cell phone but farmers also confirm the legitimacy of emails requesting sensitive information. have feeding systems, video camera surveillance, GPS  Adopt a pro-active Approach: Don’t wait until guidance systems for planting and harvesting, as well as problems arise. These are services available that can monitor your the farm computer. Whether hard-wired, wireless or systems 24/7 to ensure the backups and security you configured Bluetooth connectivity, criminals have the smarts to link into everything. “Farm records of livestock and crops, continue to work properly. This not only ensures the health of financial reports and records, as well as business and your system, but also offers early detection of potential issues personal information are all at risk once security has which can prevent serious downtime or data loss.  Request a Risk Assessment: Every business is been breached,” states Dwyer.

Just like farmers lock the barn doors to protect different. Contact your IT provider and ask them about a Cyber livestock, so now they must make sure their computer Risk Assessment for your farm business. This will provide you systems are locked up. “Hackers are good at what they with a detailed analysis of your IT infrastructure and highlight do, but they won’t spend a whole lot of time trying to areas of potential risk. With this information, you’ll be able to break into a system that is well protected when they build a customized strategy to protect your business from cyber know, unfortunately, there are easier targets out there,” criminals. states Dwyer.

Created by Dwyer Manufacturing Ltd www.dwyermfg.com, and, Check out of the Cyber Security Farm Checklist IT-WORKS Computer Sales & Repair Inc. created by Ajan and Dwyer to make things more www.itworkscomputerrepair.com difficult for hackers and protect your data. ◊ November 2023 37

Recipes by Carolyn Crawford

Tips to plan your Christmas Cookie exchange

O

Frying Pan Cookies ver the years, I have been your choice and cut out the cookies When my son was little, he used to involved in many cookie from the dough. like rolling these out for me. exchanges. There have been Bake on an ungreased cookie 1 ½ cup chopped dates many new favourites added to my sheet until lightly browned on edges 1 cup sugar recipe collection along the way. I for about 10-15 minutes.

5 tbsp butter have saved many magazines and Cool on a cookie sheet placed on a 2 eggs, slightly beaten cookbooks dedicated to Christmas cooling rack for three minutes.

3 cups holiday crispy rice cereal bars and cookies. Some of the recipes Remove from the cookie sheet and ½ cup chopped nuts I have were printed on package cool completely on the rack.

1 tsp vanilla labels, picked up as a handout, or Decorate with buttercream or Ground nuts or fine coconut found in community cookbooks. royal icing.

Directions: However, in addition to those (I like Royal Icing Combine dates, sugar, butter, and to add something new every year!) I (Source: Wilton) eggs in a skillet or heavy saucepan still make the ones that were passed Ingredients: until thickened, stirring constantly. down from family and shared by 4 cups icing sugar (1 lb) Remove from heat; add holiday friends. Here are some of my 5 tbsp warm water crispy rice cereal, nuts, and vanilla. favourite recipes.

4 tbsp meringue powder Cool enough to handle.

Gingerbread Cookies Directions: Roll a small cookie scoop’s worth (Source: Wilton) Beat all ingredients together until into balls and then roll into ground More details may found on the icing forms peaks. Beat for about 7nuts or coconut. Coconut may be Wilton website: 10 minutes at low speed with a tinted with red and/or green food https://wilton.com/gingerbreadheavy-duty mixer or 10-12 minutes colouring or left white for a snowball cookies/wlrecip-287/ at high speed with a hand-held mixer. look.

Makes 2 dozen At this point, check the consistency Yield: 30 small balls.

3 cups all-purpose flour of your royal icing. If icing is too No Bake Cherry Balls ½ tsp baking soda stiff, add more water 1 tsp at a time, (from Mum’s collection) ½ tsp salt until desired consistency is achieved.

1 ½ cup icing sugar (sifted is easier 1 tsp ginger If icing is too thin, add icing sugar a for blending smoothly) 1 tsp cinnamon little at a time until desired ½ tsp nutmeg consistency is achieved. ½ tsp cloves ½ cup solid vegetable shortening ½ cup granulated sugar ¾ cup molasses 1 egg Royal Icing for decorating (optional) Directions: Preheat the oven to 375 °F. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.

In a large saucepan, melt the shortening and cool slightly. Stir in sugar, molasses and egg and mix well.

Add two cups of flour mixture and mix well. Turn the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the remaining dry ingredients by hand. Add additional flour, if necessary, to make firm dough.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1⁄4'' Gingerbread cookies are the perfect choice for Christmas holiday cookie exchanges thickness. Use cookie cutters of while the No‐Bake Cherry Balls (top, left) recipe is a family favourite.

38 The Rural Voice

½ cup butter 1 tbsp milk 1 tsp vanilla extract or ¼ tsp almond extract 1 ½ cup shredded coconut 30-36 red and/or green maraschino cherries with stems if possible (green with stems are hard to find at the grocery store) Finely crushed graham cracker crumbs or Oreo cookie crumbs Directions: Blend sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla/almond extract together in a mixing bowl until smooth.

Stir in coconut.

Chill for about an hour.

While chilling coconut mixture, drain cherries (reserve juice for another use) and set to dry on a paper towel. Set out coconut mixture for a few minutes to soften for handling.

Use a tablespoon sized scoop of coconut mixture and wrap it around each cherry leaving the stem and end exposed enough to see the top of the cherry but having enough to hold it onto the cherry when lifted by the stem. Dip the bottom 2/3 of the covered cherry in either of the crumbs.

Set on a cookie sheet and chill well in the refrigerator until firm.

Cookie Exchange Tips ● Choose an organizer. Have one or two people be the organizers of the group to answer questions or set boundaries. They can invite the participants, set up the space (supply tongs or lifters for picking up the cookies), provide backup supplies (e.g., bring extra containers for those that forget) and make sure (especially if at work) that the area where the ‘cookie walk’ is performed is cleaned up afterwards. Being proactive in preparation prevents any issues from developing. ● Be inclusive! Plan the date of your cookie exchange (at least 4-6 weeks ahead) to include everyone in your group and allow for time to bake during busy schedules. Share the names of the participants so that all can request a favourite or specialty made by those in the group. Keep in mind that not everyone is a star baker—if you do not want store or bakery purchased items make sure

that you specify ahead of time that items are only to be homemade. If someone wants to participate but is not a baker, make sure the whole group knows that this is still okay.

Set a budget, too. Not everyone can afford luxurious ingredients. ● If the required amount for the exchange is X dozen, make sure you send extras in case some break or fall. Let participants know how many of each they are to take. Providing extra means your group can always sample any leftovers on the spot when everyone has completed their cookie walk. If you are the organizer, make an extra batch that you can bring out at the end if someone is shorted the intended amount. ● Sharing is the name of the game at a cookie exchange! Make out enough copies of your recipe so that each participant has the opportunity to pick one up. Include your handwritten or printed recipe (a simple way is mounted on recycled Christmas cards with pinked edges) with your name, date and location shared on it and, if possible, something special about the recipe and where you got it. Is it historic?

Handed down over generations?

Have you tried something new? Why have you elected to share this particular one? Including the recipe and its source may be a fun, educational experience in addition to trying something new. ● Sharing the recipe also allows for discovery of any ingredients (eggs, wheat, nuts, coconut etc.) that someone may be allergic to. Be sure to ascertain whether anyone in your group has a food allergy or sensitivity! If someone does, be considerate and avoid those ingredients where possible e.g., using almond flavouring is a no-no. Upon discovery, the organizer or provider, on the day of the swap, should label anything suspicious and keep separate the items that arrive with those ingredients. People generally have the best of intentions but may forget or miss an important detail like this. Make sure the tongs, lifters, etc. stay with the same item to avoid cross contamination just to be on the safe side. If everyone is allergy free,

go nuts! Sometimes the use of whole nuts vs. chopped is nice for presentation’s sake. ● Gooey things, while delicious, are difficult to handle. Provide a cookie or bar that is easy to pick up and place in a container or tray. For cookies or bars coated with icing sugar, cinnamon, cocoa etc. do so sparingly. Make any frosted cookies with a stiffer icing. Try piping icing on each individually cut pieces as opposed to spreading across the top of bars. ● Keep colour in mind. Grandma’s favourite chocolate chip cookies are nice, but they look pretty plain on a Christmas tray. Substituting red and green M&Ms for the chocolate chips will add colour to a tray. I have used Christmas sprinkles in plain shortbread to spruce it up. Use egg white and brush on the cookie so sprinkles will adhere to it better. For many cookies and bars, red and green glace or maraschino cherries are an easy colourful addition as is food colouring. ● Shapes-there are all kinds. Cut your bar cookies on the diagonal for an eye appealing look. Cookie cutters are available in many Christmas themes for rolled cookies. Use a cookie scoop to make uniform shaped drop cookies or for no bake round ball cookies. Sandwich style cookies can be cut into fingers. Sugar cookies (made small) can be triple layered with red and green filling. ● Make your entry freezable. That way, if the participants need to take a tray to a party, they can freeze the whole thing for a later date. Bring something (labelled with your name on it) to pick up your item with— tongs, a lifter, etc. Remember to bring an empty container with a lid to carry your treasures home. A freezable one is even better. If you do freeze it, label it with the date and for optimum freshness, use within 2 weeks. ● Most of all, have fun! You can choose a theme (Santas, Gingerbread Everything, Tropical), play music while collecting, or combine the cookie walk with a luncheon or other event. Serve hot apple cider or hot chocolate and enjoy! ◊ November 2023 39

Gardening Rhea Hamilton‐ Seeger is a skilled cook and gardener who lives in Goderich.

Asters — fall workhorses in a pollinator garden

W

of a daisy or aster you are looking at a whole bunch of flowers. The surrounding petals can be strap-like called ray florets, or tubular and those are disc florets.

Then there are the leaves. Some start out as a basal rosette, some do not; as the plant grows leaves can be slender and long, or heart-shaped or arrow-shaped; clasping, toothed; hairy or smooth; alternate on the stem, or closely bunched and overlapping. Quite a science categorizing them. Best to be armed with the Latin name and be sure.

For my purposes I am concentrating on four. ● Heart-Leafed Aster, Symphyotrichum cordifolium, has pale purplish-blue rays and rosy pink with pale yellow “flowers” scattered, not flat-topped. It is the first aster to bloom in the garden in July. It is such a surprise really because I associate

hen I start looking at native plants for the garden I am on a trip down a rabbit hole. So much information!

In order to supply the most food for local pollinators, I have been watching the assorted bees and trying to identify them and note where they are most active. Not an easy task! I know from the perfectly round circles cut from the leaves of the redbud tree that I have leaf cutter bees in the area. We also have a very large bumblebee type with a glossy black bottom (thorax) and metallic green ones (possible sweat bees) that are very eye-catching. I have to be honest that we see the Asters supply the last burst of rich food for the most activity on the native soon to be hibernating bees and butterflies plants and then on a few non-natives that supply more asters with fall blooming. Versatile copious amounts of nectar and requirements include part shade to pollen. full sun, dry to medium moisture and The late blooms in the garden are will grow to a happy mature height of the most important as they supply one metre when happy. that last burst of rich food for the ● The next one is a striking soon to be hibernating bees and lavender colour with brighter golden butterflies. What I see is asters! Yes centres. It is referred to as the and a variety of goldenrod hanging in smooth blue aster, Symphyotrichum there. laeve, and it too enjoys the same So here is my plant science lesson. garden conditions as the HeartAsters are part of a much larger plant Leafed Aster. It starts to bloom family, the Compositae. To narrow it earlier than a lot of other asters down, there are about 35 asters listed starting in July and goes through to for Ontario. I had my magnifying October. glass out to try and identify one of ● The New England Aster, them. They have the tiniest flowers Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, is packed tightly into heads called easily recognized by its striking dark florets. So when you look at the head purple rays and dark orange/gold 40 The Rural Voice

centres. In our garden it is a striking five feet tall. This year I have trimmed the one in the front garden back in June to keep it shorter and it still had a full show of bloom from end of August to October. It is recognized as an important source of last-season nourishment for pollinators. It simply buzzes the whole time with assorted bees, butterflies and wasps. This aster enjoys the same growing conditions as the previous two making it easy to group them through a garden border. ● The last aster I am excited about is the Heath Aster, Symphyotrichum ericoides. When driving along the highways in the fall there are great drifts of purple and blue and white asters. It is the white that makes the other colours pop. They look fluffy from a distance. The rays are white and quite small and the centres are laid out in a pyramid shape. To give you an idea of bloom size, each “bloom” on the New England aster is roughly three centimetres across and the Heath aster is one centimetre. But this plant makes up in numbers what it might lack in size.

It prefers open dry places, hence the roadsides. It has a long bloom time starting in September and going through to early November, which is why I am keen to get it established in our garden.

I have also been looking at common milkweed, asclepias syriaca, for our native corner and I have a couple of interlopers creeping in. I will readily admit milkweed is better confined to an area much larger than I want to give over. It spreads quite quickly with underground rhizomes.

But I have since found out that swamp milkweed a. incarnata, butterfly milkweed a. tuberosa, and showy milkweed, a. speciosa, will all support monarch eggs and larvae and are less invasive. We did plant a showy a. tuberosa, lovely bright orange flowers, but something else liked it more than we did and ate the whole plant over a couple of weeks.

Not an insect either! I am looking at trying it again as well as maybe Showy Milkweed. Milkweeds have a taproot and do not transplant well.

You can sow seeds in the fall by simply compacting them on clump-

free soil for good soil-to-seed contact. Don’t cover them.

I want to leave you with one last point about butterflies. Only the monarch flies south the rest of our beautiful butterflies nestle into the leaves either as adults or as pupae and wait for spring. Please leave a spot in the back of your garden, under your shrubs or along a bit of fence line. We all need to be more aware of how our unnecessary neatness affects the pollinators. ◊

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News

• By Tim Cummings •

Butternut archive launched near Exeter Forest Gene Conservation Association creates five-acre Butternut Archive Orchard at Triebner Tract

There were 20 people, including interested woodlot owners and project partners, who attended a groundbreaking ceremony, on Friday, August 18, 2023, at the new Butternut Archive Orchard at Triebner Tract near Exeter, Ontario. The new seed orchard, to help protect an Ontario species at risk, is a project of Forest Gene Conservation Association and local partner Ausable Bayfield Conservation.

T

he Forest Gene Conservation Association (FGCA) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony in August at the five-acre Butternut Archive Orchard at Triebner Tract northwest of Exeter. There were 20 people at the ceremony including project partners and interested woodlot owners. The archive orchard is created to help protect the endangered Butternut tree species.

The ceremony began with brief remarks, in front of the Southern Ontario Butternut Seed Orchard sign, and concluded with the planting of a Butternut tree at the site. (The project partners planted other Butternuts, at the site, in May of this year).

Heather Zurbrigg is Manager of Species Conservation with Forest Gene Conservation Association. She said she was “excited to see so many people here to join us for this groundbreaking of the Butternut archive ... it’s amazing.”

She said FGCA is involved in four main program areas: seed 42 The Rural Voice

management; education and advocacy; climate change adaptation; and species conservation. “Our largest project area, under the species conservation program, is our Butternut recovery program,” she said. FGCA now has six Butternut archive orchards. “This is a huge step both for the FGCA and for Butternut recovery,” she said. “North American research indicates searching for genetically disease-tolerant Butternuts is one of the best strategies for recovery of this species,” she said. “We need to maintain as many trees as possible showing signs of tolerance to the Butternut canker and that have seed production capabilities across the range of Butternut to allow the exchange of genetic material and hopefully the production of the next generation of potentially tolerant trees.” She thanked Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) for their work on the new archive orchard. “We are so happy to have

Ausable Bayfield Conservation as our newest partner in this Butternut recovery effort and we look forward to a long and fruitful partnership together,” she said.

The creation of the seed archive orchard is possible thanks to help of species-at-risk funding from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP).

“MECP has been integral for this archive,” said Zurbrigg. “They have funded more than half of this orchard with the Species at Risk Stewardship Program,” she said. “We are so thankful for all of the funding, facilitation of funding and in-kind partnerships we have received over the years from many organizations and we couldn’t have the robust Butternut recovery program we do without all of you.”

Ian Jean is Forestry and Land Stewardship Specialist with ABCA. He began his remarks at the ceremony by thanking the Triebner family for making it possible, in

2009, to acquire the Triebner Tract.

The five-acre Butternut Archive sits in the northwest corner of this 100acre tract of land. “I also want to recognize our local municipalities for their leadership and support in enabling the conservation authority to acquire and conserve these important land parcels and to enter into these important collaborative partnerships to conserve and restore the watershed and contribute to broader conservation initiatives such as Butternut recovery,” he said. The conservation authority, with support of federal and provincial funding partners, has been restoring habitat at the site including tree planting and wetland creation to complement the adjacent provincially significant wetland in Hay Swamp.

“The Butternut was an important tree for wildlife and for people,” Jean said. Historically, the nuts were a food source for First Nations peoples and settlers. “Butternut was quite common locally and grows very well on our local soils,” he said. “We

believe this Butternut Archive Orchard site should grow very nice Butternut and we hope it will contribute to the recovery of this species.” He ended his remarks by saying “I love trees and everything about them and to be able to play a small part in species recovery is very special for me.”

Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson provided remarks that were read at the ceremony. “We live in a beautiful province with a bounty of natural resources and, as stewards of the land, it’s our job to protect and preserve it for future generations,” she said. “Initiatives like this allow us to do exactly that … I encourage you to keep doing what you’re doing – you are paving the way towards a brighter, more environmentallysustainable future for all Ontarians by maintaining the biodiversity within our forests, fields, and bodies of water. And, for that, you have my utmost thanks.”

Butternut is a species at risk throughout its natural range in

Canada and the United States.

Butternut is impacted by Butternut Canker (Ophiognomonia clavigignenti-juglandacearum) which is a fungus that affects the cambial layer of Butternut usually causing tree mortality. Once a common tree throughout eastern North America, Butternut is now uncommon and is listed as endangered under the Ontario’s provincial Endangered Species Act (ESA). Healthy Butternut are very rare and now considered too few and too far apart for natural recovery. Butternut trees on the landscape throughout the natural range of Butternut that are showing tolerance to the Butternut Canker are the foundation of the FGCA archiving recovery efforts.

Archive orchards are planted with grafted trees grown from scions (twigs) collected from these healthy Butternut. Establishing archive orchards will enable cross-pollination and future seed production between tolerant trees to aid in the reintroduction of healthy Butternut on the landscape and recovery of Butternut in Ontario.

The Forest Gene Conservation Association is a not-for-profit organization in Ontario. FGCA’s goal is to assist forest practitioners to conserve and augment the genetic diversity of forests through Species Conservation, Seed Management Expertise, Climate Change Adaptation, and Education and Advocacy. FGCA partners with the government, forestry sector, not-forprofit organizations, landowners, conservation authorities and other groups on projects across southern Ontario. ◊

Planting a Butternut seedling, at the Butternut Archive Orchard at Triebner Tract near Exeter, Ontario, during the seed orchard groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, August 18, 2023, were (from left to right in photo): Ian Jean, Forestry and Land Stewardship Specialist with Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA); Heather Zurbrigg, Manager of Species Conservation with Forest Gene Conservation Association (FGCA); and Corey Gent, FGCA Butternut Technician.

November 2023 43

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News

• Press Release •

Land values continue to rise due to limited availability

L

Purchasing farmland is a very expensive and strategic decision for producers says FCC economist, J.P. Gervais

imited availability of farmland for sale is continuing to push land values higher, according to the mid-year farmland values review by Farm Credit Canada (FCC). In the first six months of 2023, the national average growth rate of farmland was 7.7 per cent.

The highest farmland value increases over the last six months were reported in Saskatchewan (11.4 per cent) and Quebec (10.6 per cent).

Ontario and Manitoba saw nearly identical increases, with farmland values in Ontario increasing by 6.9 per cent, and Manitoba by 6.4 per cent. Alberta had a more modest increase of three per cent, while the average price of farmland stayed unchanged in British Columbia.

Fewer sales were available in Canada’s Atlantic provinces to fully assess mid-year farmland values.

There is a wide range of pricing in Ontario, with the South West, Central West and South East regions leading in price per acre.

“Limited land for sale has been driving farmland values higher over the last six months,” said J.P. Gervais, FCC’s chief economist.

“With higher interest rates, elevated farm input costs and uncertainty regarding future commodity prices, producers are being cautious with their investments and capital expenditures.”

Farm cash receipts are anticipated to increase 6.6 per cent in 2023. But as farm operations exercise caution in

Perth County launches new road map

P

erth County’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Team is pleased to launch a new Perth County Road Map this fall! This new map features the County, local municipal, and Provincial road networks along with locations of important community infrastructure such as Hospitals, Municipal offices, Libraries and more.

“These maps are a great tool for the public and for staff at each municipality across the County.” said Warden Rhonda Ehgoetz. “County Council is pleased that these new maps will now be able to be handed out free of charge. They will be an excellent resource for the community.”

This summer, County Council moved to amend the Fees and Charges By-Law to remove the $5 fee that used to be charged for similar maps in the past.

“The GIS Team is proud to launch an updated version of this popular map.” said Gary White, GIS Coordinator. “Maps are an important tool for understanding the geography of the region and our department regularly receives lots of requests for maps like this.”

Perth County’s GIS Team maintains critical datasets for the County and Lower-Tier Municipalities (North Perth, Perth South, Perth East, and West Perth). This Road Map is an accurate representation of the road network and geographic features of the County. The project provided an excellent opportunity to complete a thorough data review and update to infrastructure, road network, and municipal asset datasets.

Copies of the new Perth County Road Map are available to pick up free of charge at local municipal and other locations across the County: ● Perth County Courthouse: 1 Huron Street, Stratford ● Municipality of North Perth: 330 Wallace Avenue North, Listowel ● Township of Perth South: 3191 Road 122, St. Pauls ● Township of Perth East: 25 Mill Street East, Milverton ● Municipality of West Perth: 160 Wellington Street, Mitchell ● Stratford-Perth Archives: 4273 Line 34, Stratford To learn more about the County’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) visit www.perthcounty.ca/GIS.

spending, farmland value appreciation is anticipated to slow until the uncertainty over the current economic environment vanishes.

“Purchasing farmland is a very strategic decision for producers,” said Gervais. “They need to assess whether they can earn enough from the larger land base they’ve acquired and if not, whether other areas of the operation generate enough income to pay for the land. Monitoring farmland price trends can assist in making the best decisions for individual operations.”

By sharing agriculture economic knowledge and forecasts, FCC provides solid insights and expertise to help those in the business of agriculture and food achieve their goals. For more economic insights and analysis, visit FCC Economics at fcc.ca/Economics. ◊

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November 2023 45

Markets Scott Krakar is a Grain Merchandiser with LAC Inc., Hyde Park, 519‐473‐9333

Shipping from the Black Sea region and the U.S. deficit are creating uncertainty in grain markets Grain markets continue to pay close attention to shipping from the Black Sea region. Upon the expiration of the prior agreement, market participants closely watched to see how grain flows would be impacted.

Rather than waiting to see if a negotiated agreement would result, Ukraine went ahead on their own without Russian participation and established their own export corridor.

The first ships from the unilateral corridor sailed with some trepidation, as Russia said that without the agreement, even commercial ships could be considered military vessels.

These first vessels sailed without

incident and confidence came into the market that the corridor would remain navigational. With those vessels sailing from Ukraine unimpeded, more freight became available. Insurance rates for ships within Ukraine’s independent corridor fell dramatically and new vessels committed to sailing these waters. Grain and iron ore began to load and volume commitments are now comparable to the early days of the original grain deal; which was very successful in moving grain volumes.

Ukraine’s farm minister reported, “New vessels are coming. Every farmer in the near future will be able to feel that logistics due to this route should become cheaper and accordingly, the (profit margin) of grain will increase.” This is good news for Ukraine, as their crop production this season has seen extremely good yields.

While this is the situation with Ukraine shipments today, there is no certainty that this will continue with the risks that remain. Russian naval forces persist in the Black Sea and with no agreement in place it is possible that commercial navigation from the deep sea ports in Ukraine could end if directed by military power. If shipping from these deep water Ukrainian ports were to cease, it doesn’t necessarily mean that grain market prices would rally significantly.

Remember that Ukraine does have the capacity to move grain through other nations.

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46 The Rural Voice

financial cost. And also Russia continues to move their large production. Russia reports that all major crops will see production higher than the five-year average.

It’s not only aggressive Black Sea shipments that weigh on market sentiment. The U.S. deficit continues to grow and market players are seeing a lack of financial governance in the U.S. (similar to here in Canada). This observation leads to questions over the United States government’s credit worthiness. The result of this is higher borrowing costs. The impact of higher U.S. government borrowing costs will affect borrowers around the world and here at home. If the U.S. government has to pay higher rates, then rates for all are pushed higher likewise. Higher interest rates are generally negative to commodity prices, including grains.

As with grains, soybeans prices have been under pressure and moving lower. Brazil had an extremely large production year and therefore they have been dominating sales to China recently.

There are market indications however, that Brazilian export offers are dwindling and that for sufficient volumes for December and January, China will have to come to the U.S. for supply.

The U.S. soy crushers have been benefiting from last season’s drought in Argentina. Currently Argentine soy crush capacity is only operating in the range of 35 per cent capacity, simply because they cannot source domestic beans to crush. This has allowed U.S. soy crushers to maximize their crush, as they work to fill the void Argentina left within the world soy product trade. In August the U.S. exported the highest volume of soy meal in five years.

Going forward, weather in South America will be the key to the soy market direction. Currently there is a large rebound in Argentina soy production expected, as a drought severe as last year is not currently factored into the market. However drought is currently becoming more severe in Argentina, and losses may be mounting with their wheat crop.

If there are South American losses, prices will be impacted. ◊

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Woodlots Donna Lacey is a forester with the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority

If you spot the

Spotted Lanternfly,

crush it

Brace yourself, this is not going to be a happy good news column.

It is time to talk about yet another scary creature on our doorstep ready to attack our fruit and forest trees.

We need to watch for this one as it is looking at our grape vines, apples, pears, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, tree-of-heaven, willows, black walnuts, birch, sumac, maples, oaks, and hops. With that list, we can be grateful that at least our conifers are safe with this pest, maybe. I should note that this pest has been observed feeding on conifers, but not to a great extent. Even if not found feeding on conifers, they can be found hitching a ride from one forest or nursery to another. Who is this horrible predator? The Spotted Lanternfly is this killer beast.

This nasty bug is native to Asia, where it has some naturally occurring pests to help keep it under control.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency started its awareness campaign on this pest around 2018. I remember receiving a new stack of wallet cards with pictures of this rather attractive bug on them. The list of host species seemed to be completely unbelievable. However, the Spotted Lanternfly had already been found to be established in Pennsylvania in 2014. More recently, there have been other finds in Pontiac, Michigan, and Buffalo, New York. Now I don’t know a lot about the United States, but I do know that those are three of our neighbouring states.

Spotted Lanternfly is commonly distributed by having egg masses that hitch a ride on vehicles, campers, firewood, tires, timber, rocks, and nursery stock. The insect is not a

great flyer and will only travel short distances. The egg masses are very difficult to spot as they start out with a grey waxy coating which disappears over time revealing tiny brown eggs. The egg masses are only about an inch long (2.5 cm). With this small size and camouflaged colouring they tend to blend right into the item they are attached to. If you can or do find an egg mass or more, please take a picture for a positive identification then, scrape those egg masses off immediately, smush and crush them and put them in soapy water, hand sanitizer, or rubbing alcohol.

Eggs are laid in the fall and hatch

in the spring. In the spring, the newly hatched nymphs are mainly black with white spots. As they mature in early summer, the nymphs grow to be about a half inch long and change from black with white spots to red with white spots. In late summer, the nymphs finish their maturity to their adult form. I choose to describe the appearance of the nymphs to be that of most weevils or plant sucking insects. The adult, however, has what

The spotted lanternfly is pretty but prolific and wants to suck the life out of our fruit and forest trees. Above, the insect is seen in various forms. Sources: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org for wings open and eggs photos; Lawrence Barringer, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org for red nymph photo and mass photos.

November 2023 49

Agrilaw I describe as the appearance of a moth.

The adults are quite beautiful.

When wings are folded back, they are held more upright like that of a katydid, damselfly, or more loosely, a butterfly. They have long black legs, similar to that of a butterfly.

Their wings are white to pale pink with black spots on them, this colouring fades out towards the end of the wings where they are mainly grayish. When the adult opens its forewings, it reveals a beautiful black tipped wing with a white bar and then an amazing band of red with black dots as it reaches the body.

While these adults are pretty to look at, when they infest an area they are so plentiful that people can see the problem and happily take part in stomping them. The critters are quick to try to jump or fly to safety. As the planthoppers can fly or jump quickly forward, they are not great at backing up. It is therefore best to approach them from the front to successfully eliminate them.

As these pests feed on our plants they, like many other pests, exude a honeydew. This sugary liquid is quick to attract fungus which stops the normal function of the host.

These beautiful bugs are all over the internet. Both search engines and social media have countless documents and videos available. This is the first pest that I have seen that has a large following of people posting about its presence, identification, and the act of squishing.

Information from this column has been taken from past webinars and information sessions as well as the websites of: Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), United States Department of Agriculture, Invasive Species Centre, and Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. I encourage you to do a search of on-line documents if possible, or, if you are not on the internet, to please call your local Conservation Authority or CFIA office for further information. We need to watch for this pest as it may be devastating to our fruits, vegetables, and forests. ◊ 50 The Rural Voice

John D. Goudy is a partner in Scott Petrie LLP Law Firm, and also farms north of London.

Abandoned orchard trees deemed noxious weeds

A

ccording to Ontario’s Weed Control Act, “every person in possession of land shall destroy all noxious weeds on it.”

The owner of land is deemed by the Act to be in possession of the land. Provincial and municipal road authorities are deemed to be in possession of road allowances.

Noxious weeds are those that are prescribed in the Regulation made under the Act (including giant hogweed, poison-ivy, leafy spurge, sow-thistle, ragweed, etc.) and other plants that may be deemed to be a noxious weed (called a “local weed”) in a by-law passed by a municipality.

Weed inspectors enforce the Act. Only municipalities that have appointed a weed inspector may pass a by-law deeming other plants to be noxious weeds.

Weed inspectors are empowered to enter any land and buildings (dwelling houses excepted) between sunrise and sunset for the purpose of searching for noxious weeds and weed seeds and may also inspect implements, machinery, vehicles, crops and other plants. Where access to a property is denied, the weed inspector can obtain a search warrant without prior notice to the owner or occupier of the property.

The inspector may order a person in possession of land to destroy noxious weeds or weed seeds. If the person in possession does not comply with the order, the weed inspector may “cause the noxious weeds or weed seeds to be destroyed in the prescribed manner”, with the cost of the work charged back to the owner of the lands by the municipality. The prescribed manner of destroying noxious weeds includes pulling or removing the plants from the soil,

cutting the roots or stalks of the plants, ploughing or cultivating the soil, or treating the plants with a herbicide.

In August of this year, Justice Sheard of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice released her decision in a lawsuit brought by landowners against their local municipality after the Municipality cut down an apple and pear orchard on the landowners’ property. The orchard was cut down in 2014 and the landowners were billed $12,800 for the work. Their court action commenced in 2015 and a trial took place before Justice Sheard over several days in 2022 and 2023. The lawsuit included claims for: $1,500,000 in general damages for negligence, misfeasance in public office, negligent assumption of jurisdiction, trespass, and nuisance; $1,000,000 in punitive and exemplary damages; a declaration that the Municipality’s weed by-law was void for bad faith, vagueness, overreach, etc.; a declaration that the landowners’ natural justice rights were violated; and an order for reimbursement of the $12,800 cost of the tree removal work.

The landowners had purchased their property in May, 2011. The property was 20 acres in size and included two abandoned orchards of about 2.5 acres each (only one of which was at issue in the litigation).

Very shortly before the landowners’ purchase, a new neighbour purchased an adjacent farm property where he planted apple trees with a view to developing an orchard.

That neighbour had concerns that the landowners’ abandoned orchard was full of disease and insect pests that would threaten the existence of his young apple trees. The neighbour raised this concern with the Municipality and had learned through OMAFRA that other municipalities had passed by-laws designating abandoned orchards as noxious weeds. He requested that his own municipality do the same.

In 2013, the Municipality’s Council passed a by-law designating diseased fruit trees as “local weeds” to be treated as noxious weeds pursuant to the Weed Control Act. A “diseased fruit tree” was defined in the by-law as “a fruit tree as herein

defined, whether dead or alive, which fruit tree as part of a planting of greater than 0.25 ha (0.618 ac) and which planting is within the 375 m (1,230.31 ft) of a fruit growing operation or plant nursery operation, and which planting has been neglected from normal standards of good farming practices, such that it exhibits fruit tree disease or populations of insects which represent a reasonable threat by movement to such commercial fruit growing operation.” A “fruit tree” included both apple trees and pear trees.

In April, 2014, the Municipality determined that the landowners’ one abandoned orchard contained diseased fruit trees and issued an order to the landowners to “bring down and burn” the apple trees within 30 days of service of the order. Nearly four months later, the trees had not been destroyed. In August, 2014, the Municipality moved in and had the diseased trees cut down.

Justice Sheard dismissed the landowners’ court action in its

entirety. She found that the weed control by-law passed by the Municipality was not void – it was clearly within the scope of the Municipality’s statutory authority given to it under the Act. The Municipality followed the proper procedure in passing the by-law and the bylaw was submitted to and approved by the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs as required by the Act. Justice Sheard disagreed with the landowners that the by-law targeted them in particular, commenting: Had the plaintiffs acted in accordance with “normal standards of good farming practices” in the management of the Orchard, the Bylaw would have been of no concern to them. Indeed, had the plaintiffs acted on their stated objective to develop a commercial apple growing operation, they might well have been advocates for the Bylaw, intended to protect all fruit growing or plant nursery operations.

Having found that the by-law itself was valid, Justice Sheard concluded that the landowners’ court

action must fail because their recourse was not to the Court but to the chief weed inspector appointed pursuant to the Weed Control Act. Where a municipal weed inspector makes an order against a person in possession of land, that person may appeal the order to the chief inspector who may either confirm or revoke the order or make a new order. The chief inspector’s order may be appealed to the Divisional Court. In this case, the landowners did not appeal the order and were bound by it. As the order was found to be valid, there was no basis on which the landowners could sue the Municipality for damages allegedly resulting from the operation of the order.◊ ______________________________ John D. Goudy’s law practice includes real property and environmental litigation, expropriation law, energy regulation, and regulatory offences. Agrilaw provides information of interest to the farming community, not legal advice. Readers should consult a legal professional about their particular circumstance.

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November 2023 51

People • By Gary West •

Vintage tractors get shipped to Australia

T

he last month has been busy for a former farm family of East-Zorra Tavistock, who live in Queensland-Australia.

After a decade living in Australia, Ken Nicklas was back at his former farm to pack up.

Ken and Janis Nicklas moved to

An enthusiastic group of local farmers helped load vintage tractors and household belongings in a sea container for the Ken Nicklas family to be shipped to Australia. From left to right, Ken Bethlehem, Derrick Schumacher, Maris Nicklas (Ken’s daughter), Gordon Stock, Matthew Lockwood, Dave Lockwood, Becky Davis, Don Davis, Eric Ruby (not pictured). Behind on the tractor is Ken Nicklas. Below the group photo is a picture of Dave Lockwood loading two John Deere tractors into the shipping container destined for Australia.

52 The Rural Voice

Australia in 2013, along with son Kyle and daughter Maris, when Ken decided to accept a position at a Chesterfield, Australia, John Deere dealership. (He was a service technician with Tavistock’s John Deere/Premier/Agraturf for six years) Since the winter weather was starting to affect his health, they decided to pursue the warm climate of the country down under.

The couple and their family, now reside in East Australia in Beaudesert, Queensland, 60 kilometres from the Pacific Ocean.

At one time it was a major dairy community.There was a butter factory in town, and a railroad connected the factory to the city of Brisbane, which is 70 kilometres to the north-east.

The factory and railroad are now history, and many of the dairy farms are also gone. Most left during the loss of the Australian dairy supply management system in the 1990s.

Milk prices dropped substantially and smaller farmers couldn’t afford to stay in business. Most farms are now in the 300-700 cow range.

Nicklas does say, “there are now many horses in their area, mostly retired thoroughbreds due to several race tracks in the area of Queensland”. He refers to his area as “Little Kentucky”, since there are so many horses. He also says another strong agricultural business in the area is chicken broiler farms. Many farms around Beaudesert, supply chicken for the highly populated areas of Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Nicklas spent nine years as a field service technician and doing repairs on tractors, combines, cotton pickers, sugarcane harvesters, along with hay, golf and lawn equipment.

In 2020, Nicklas accepted a role with R.D.O. equipment as a John Deere agricultural training instructor.

His role includes training the company’s technicians, parts, sales,

and support people on the various models of John Deere equipment.

When the Nicklas family moved to Australia in 2013, they left with four suitcases, entered Australia on a four-year skilled work labour visa.

All the rest of their belongings were stored on their former farm southeast of Tavistock, in rented sheds.

Nothing was sold when they left for Australia, as they were unsure if the move would be temporary or permanent. They are now Australian citizens.

Nicklas returned to Oxford County in August to deal with their household belongings and his 10 vintage Ford and John Deere agriculture and lawn tractors parked in the rented sheds.

He worked out a plan with an importer in Brisbane, Australia to load a 40-foot sea container with his vintage tractors and personal belongings. To finance the project, four of his antique tractors had to be sold.

There were many obstacles but on September 15, friends and family loaded three vintage John Deere Tractors, strapped them to the floor, and packed numerous boxes of household belongings around them.

Shelves were built for more storage to use up every square inch of container space.

Nicklas says the sea container’s path was to Toronto by truck, then by rail to Philadelphia, onto a ship at port in Baltimore, Maryland, then through the Panama Canal and to its final destination in Brisbane, Australia.

He will probably never forget the experience after he took 4-6 weeks of his time to organize and disperse and ship all of their family’s effects. He said it was a massive project with many helpers and neighbours and friends that he could not have done without them.

He says he will keep in touch, and hopes the sea container arrival on November 18 will be one day he can look forward to, as their warmer weather arrives, for their upcoming growing season. ◊

Local mason gives church a facelift

Brendon Becker (left) and his apprentice, Eric MacDonald (right) put the final touches on repointing the North East Hope Presbyterian Church. historic church in Perth piece of natural stone for the hearth, County’s NorthEasthope which measured over 14 feet long and Township got a facelift when weighed approximately 2,200 pounds. a local mason, who was educated at It was a very unique and custom the NorthEasthope Public school, one fireplace, a work of art, that he was so mile north of the church, was hired to proud of when finished. do the job.

He gives credit to one of his Brandon Becker has been involved teachers from Northwestern in masonry work for 13 years. He Secondary School, Mark Roth, who said he felt pride working on helped him pursue an opportunity in repointing the historic church, a short masonry through the high school codistance from the family farm he was op program in grades 11 and 12. raised on.

Becker also gives credit to former According to his grandfather, Northwestern teacher and principal, Arthur Horn (who was also the Reeve Martin Ritsma, who is now the Mayor of North Easthope Township in the of Stratford, for being a huge past) seven generations of the Horn advocate for student involvement in family have attended the North East technical education, and encouraged Hope Presbyterian Church that him to pursue his love of masonry.

Becker was working at restoring.

The young tradesman competed in As he continued his work of re- Skills Ontario in 2016 and 2017 and pointing the brick on the front of the placed first both years. He then went church, Brandon talked about some of on to compete in the Skills Canada the jobs he has done since he became competition in Moncton, New a certified stone mason.

Brunswick in 2016, and finished sixth He stated that some of the most out of a large field of competitors. rewarding jobs he had worked on, In the same competition in 2017, in was restoring an old school house in Winnipeg, Manitoba, he finished in New Hamburg; restoration work on fourth place. the Stratford City Hall and building The young mason is recently custom stone houses and cottages. married, and living in Stratford. He One that particularly stands out says it was “an honour and a was creation of a 13x13 foot fieldstone fireplace. Becker hand-split privilege” to place highly and the field stone from an old barn represent his province and his country foundation that his customers had at such prestigious competitions, doing a job that he loves and makes taken down on their property.

With some help, they laid a single him a good living. ◊

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November 2023 53

The

Rural Voice

Business Centre To place your ad call: 519-523-4311 or email: rvads@northhuron.on.ca

B U S I N E S S C E N T R E

Horse & Livestock Car, Utility & Recreational any design, hitches trade-ins welcome super after sales service

www.beloretrailers.ca

Full service to all boats and marine engines

ARGYLE Marine & Small Engines Inc.

33973 Church Camp Rd., Goderich 519-524-5361 Email: argylemarine1960@gmail.com

324025 Mount Elgin Rd. Mount Elgin, Ontario N0J 1N0 Jamie Belore

phone: 519-485-5358 toll free: 1-877-247-7227 fax: 1-519-485-6129 jbelore@gmail.com

KIPPEN, ONTARIO 519-263-5308

Craig Robinson Mobile: 519-441-1119 Email: blossomvalleyelectricinc@gmail.com ECRA/ESA #7015754 AGRICULTURAL - RESIDENTIAL - COMMERCIAL

Profitable, Actionable, Advice Crop Planning SWAT Maps/VR Scripts Soil Sampling Cropwalker Newsletter

54 The Rural Voice

Devon Henry 519-505-2473 84772 McDonald Line • Box 616 • Brussels

devonjhenry@hotmail.com

KRAEMER CONCRETE LTD. Two Locations to Serve You!

5595 Road 130 Brunner N0K 1C0

220 Industrial Park Dr., Brussels N0G 1H0

Fax: 595-4903

Fax: 887-8764

519-595-2343

Jonathan Zettler CCA-ON, 4R NMS 519-323-7505 jz@fieldwalker.ca fieldwalker.ca

Leadership in energy and environmental design

519-887-8763

Toll Free at 1-888-RING-KCL

REAL ESTATE

• Real Estate questions • Wishing a Market Value Analysis

(Free and convenient at your property)

• Buying or Selling?

NOW BOOKING VENDORS

“Welcome to connect with me anytime”

Gladys Munro Realtor®

Direct: 519.389.8242 Office: 519.396.3300 gladysmunro21@gmail.com 926 Queen St. Kincardine, ON

Email: nick.cadotte@5amigos.net ~ Phone: 519-365-8027

AGRICULTURAL

RESIDENTIAL

Choose from:

B U S I 979 Lakeshore Rd, RR3 Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario L0S 1J0 N Tel: 905-YEH-NUTS (934-6887) Fax: 905-YEL-NUTS (935-6887) E E-mail: nut.trees@grimonut.com Catalogue Site: www.grimonut.com S S Hazelnut, heartnut, Persian and black Walnut, chestnut, hickory, pecan, pawpaw, persimmon, mulberry, fig and more.

NEW CONSTRUCTION RENOVATIONS

519-524-0253 PACKERS: WE BUILD Order Now

C E N T R E

RUBBER TIRE PACKER SPECIALISTS

Also large fold-up steel drum packers, lawn & estate rollers, custom manufactured

RR #2, Arthur, Ont. (519) 848-2799

QUALITY METAL ROOFING, SIDING & TRIMS Lucknow Auto Parts Supply 37521 Amberley Rd., Lucknow 519-528-2220

519-363-3757

2051 Bruce Rd. 19, R.R. 1 Chesley, ON N0G 1L0

The Better Choice, Plain and Simple

Spike’s Auto Parts 252 Queen St., Kincardine 519-396-1515 Email: lap@porters.ca

November 2023 55

MarCrest Backhoe

Organic Growers Wanted Long term production contracts available for HR Winter Wheat, Winter Barley, Winter Spelt and Winter Canola

Septic Installations • Tile Repairs Small Footings • Silo Footings

Also available in 2024 : production contracts for Soybeans, Edible Beans, Sunflowers, Peas contact: Wehrmann Grain & Seed Ltd

Maynard Martin

RR 1 Ripley, Ontario N0G 2R0 Cell: 519.955.0386 • Office: 519.395.3126 • Fax: 519.395.2935

2512 Kressler Road RR 1 St. Clements, ON N0B 2M0

Tel. 519-699-0507

e-mail: ingasven@hurontel.on.ca

Foundation - Frames - Jars - Extractors B 2023 Complete Beehives - Pollen Traps - and so much more!

Queens U S I Hours 9-5 519-492-0565 N Monday: Tues - Friday: By Appointment sales@widemansbeesupply.ca E Sat: 9-5 www.widemansbeesupply.ca 87690 Malcolm Line. RR1 Gowanstown ON. N0G 1Y0 S S

STEFFEN

C E WELL DRILLING N 519-531-0355 TEESWATER, ON mike@steffenwelldrilling.ca T Agricultural & domestic water wells R •• Well Cleanouts • Pump Testing • Camera Inspection • Irrigation Wells E • Dewatering Services

www.wehrmanngrainandseed.ca

37452 Glen’s Hill Road, RR 2, Auburn, Ont. N0M 1E0

Tel. 519-529-7212

Snowblowers, Quick-attach Buckets, Sweepers, Woodsplitters, Crimper Rollers, Land Rollers, Stone Windrowers, etc. smythwelding.com info@smythwelding.com

WE WANT YOUR GRAIN!

Download the London Ag App for FREE (Real-time scale tickets, contracts, cash bids and more.)

• Corn • Wheat • Soybeans • Feed Grains • Feed Ingredients • Food Quality Soybeans

CASH & FORWARD CONTRACTS Call us today for Quotes Scott Speers Richard Smibert Scott Krakar Matt McKillop Alex Kissler 1615 NORTH ROUTLEDGE PARK UNIT 43 - LONDON, ONTARIO, N6H 5L6 519-473-9333 Toll-Free 1-800-265-1885

DL Distributing Dave Mustard 519-794-3334 Authorized Dealer

Marvin L. Smith

Tough on Winter, Easy on You

Email: dlmustard2@gmail.com 556735 Strathaven Road, Chatsworth, ON

56 The Rural Voice

B.Sc.F. (Forestry), R.P.F. Farm Woodland Specialist 570 Riverview Dr. Listowel, Ontario N4W 3T7 Telephone: (519) 291-2236

CLASSIFIED

CLASSIFIED

CLASSIFIED

COMING EVENTS -------------------------------------------15th Annual Christmas Home Tour in Saugeen Shores, Friday, November 17, 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Saturday, November 18, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Cost: $30. Visit: www.chantryislandchambettes.com for more information.

-------------------------------------------Sugar Plum Bazaar - Saturday, November 18, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Egmondville United Church.

Baking, crafts, preserves, seasonal decor. Everyone welcome.

-------------------------------------------Flesherton & District Farmers' Market Christmas Market, Saturday, November 25, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Flesherton Kinplex, 101 Highland Drive, Flesherton.

Locally grown, produced and handmade items for the holiday season, 519-924-0777.

-------------------------------------------Christkindl Market and Messiah in the barn, December 8 and 9, Friday 4:00 to 9:00 pm and Saturday 2:00 to 9:00 pm at Glencolton Farm near Durham. For information and tickets: christkindlfarm.com -------------------------------------------Priceville Christmas Craft Show Make plans Saturday, November 18, 2023 to attend the Annual Priceville Christmas Craft Show at Priceville's Stothart Hall from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Vendors on two floors featuring baking, all kinds of crafts, Christmas gifts and much more. Free admission. Hot lunch available.

------------------------------------------CONSTRUCTION -------------------------------------------Liquid manure tanks, bunker silos, foundations and pads. All are 100% engineered. Serving Ontario since 1968. De Jong & Sons Ltd. 519-348-0523.

-------------------------------------------DAIRY -------------------------------------------Screened bedding sand, delivered.

Call 519-625-8242 or 519-2741490.

-------------------------------------------FARM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE -------------------------------------------John Deere model 8-32 walk behind snowblower. Good. $200.

Call Darwin 519-348-8526.

Mitchell.

FOR SALE -------------------------------------------Red or white potatoes $15 for 50 pounds. McIntosh apples $16 per bushel. Seasoned split hardwood $75 per cord; stacked or in tote bags.

Glenlee Gardens, Harriston 519-3382691.

-------------------------------------------Rosco grain bins for sale - 19' and 14' diameter. Parts available. Used grain bins wanted for parts or reuse.

Closed Sundays, 519-338-3920.

-------------------------------------------LIVESTOCK BEDDING -------------------------------------------MIRACLE FIBRE Livestock Bedding.

Also, coarse wood mulch for horse and cattle walkways, wet areas around water troughs and bush lanes. Also available is dairy pack starter bedding. 519-669-2456.

Sittler Grinding Inc. Rick Sittler.

-------------------------------------------LIVESTOCK FOR SALE -------------------------------------------Purebred ram lambs, ready to work.

Also nine ewe lambs. Born in Feb/Mar. British blood lines, GenOvis tested, M-V Negative, closed flock. Florence Pullen, Clinton. 519-233-7896.

-------------------------------------------LIMOUSIN breeding bulls, quiet, thick, semen tested, guaranteed breeders, delivery included. Posthaven Limousin, John Post, 519-766-7178 www.posthavenlimousin.com.

-------------------------------------------Red Angus, Red Angus-Simmental and Simmental bred heifers for sale. Bred to a calving ease Red Angus bull for spring 2024 calving.

Silver Springs Farms, James, Joan and Robert McKinlay 519-5996236 -------------------------------------------RESTORATION -------------------------------------------The Olde Tyme Radio Centre – antique radios, clocks, gramophones, telephones; sold/ restored. (vintage autoclock radio, speedometer, tachometer repaired). Belgrave 519-357-4304, www.oldtymeradio.ca

SERVICES -------------------------------------------Cronin Poured Concrete Ltd. Since 1976. Liquid manure tanks to 200'.

Heights of 8'-14' (1-pour). All jobs engineer specifications/inspections - guaranteed. Best firm quote in Ontario. Mark Cronin, 519-274-5000. www.croninpouredconcrete.ca --------------------------------------------

DANNY’S

Custom Painting & Sandblasting 86362 Harper Line RR 1 Lucknow N0G 2H0 (just north of Zion Road) Specializing in on Farm Pest Management Serving Southwestern ON, Golden Horseshoe, GTA Email: info@sgsltd.ca

519-692-4232

www.sgspestmanagement.ca

DONALD A ANDREW ACCOUNTING Accounting & Income Tax Services for FARMS, BUSINESSES & INDIVIDUALS 296 Ross St., Lucknow

Ph. 519-528-3019 -------------------------------------------WANTED -------------------------------------------Young farmer looking for land rent, sharecrop, or custom work opportunities. Good environmental stewardship and professionalism.

Short and long term. 519-200-7845 or hundt.chris@outlook.com -------------------------------------------Farmland – Long or short term.

Cash rent, share crop. Contact Paul at Hill & Hill Farms, 519-2333218 or 519-525-3137 or email: paul.hillhill@tcc.on.ca -------------------------------------------Scrap Cars Wanted – 20, 30, 40 yd. scrap metal bins available. We sell quality used auto parts. Wanted to buy – scrap cars, trucks, farm machinery, heavy equipment.

Kenilworth Auto Recyclers. 519323-1113.

-------------------------------------------22x32 Dion Threshing machine.

Call 905-983-9331

November 2023 57

National Farmers Union – Ontario NEWSLETTER ● Strong Communities ● Sound Policies ● Sustainable Farms

Phone: 1-888-832-9638 E-mail: office@nfuontario.ca Website: www.nfuontario.ca

Fertile grounds: Exploring alternative land access opportunities

T

he Greenbelt win has shown how important farmland protection is to Ontarians, but the work doesn’t stop there. Farmland access is a deeply rooted issue, with challenges like soaring land prices, farmland leases being unsuitable for smaller scale agriculture, and limited housing options near or on-farm.

The N F U-O and partner organizations, including the EFAO, are working together to improve knowledge around alternative land access models, and support regional networking and natural connections amongst aspiring landless farmers and farmers with land. Alternative land access models can take the form of sharing land in creative ways, being part of a co-operative or community farm, accessing land through publicly held land, and more.

To support this work, the NFU-O has hired five Land Access Field Coordinators, who will facilitate conversations around land access, collect information from land holders and land seekers, and foster connections within regional farming communities. The coordinators will be placed in the GTA, Grey/Bruce County, and Eastern Ontario, and will be working with new, young and BIPOC farmers to host a range of field days, workshops, and webinars around land access.

The coordinators attended three workshops and field days in September, organized by the EFAO and NFU-O Local 344. Read on: September 5 — Field Day at Shade of Miti

The EFAO held a field day with Rav Singh of Shade of Miti Farm in the Region of Peel in September.

Shade of Miti is a small-scale, ecological farm specializing in South Asian vegetables. Rav spoke about growing and selling cultural crops, and her okra research, showcasing five different types of Okra grown in 2023. Also, Rav’s off-grid solar powered pond irrigation system was a point of focus, where Rav explained the process of researching suitable kinds of irrigation, legal considerations, food safety, equipment, cost, and more.

Rav shares farmland alongside three other farmers or home gardeners, and one cash cropper.

Participants were encouraged to connect with the NFU-O and EFAO for land access resources and support.

Through this, one land holder participant was able to connect with the NFU-O to obtain a sample land lease to help formalize a land sharing agreement with a landless farmer.

September 18 — EFAO Farm Tour

The EFAO held another field day in September with Long Road EcoFarm and Farm Sum Food in Harrowsmith, ON. Long Road EcoFarm is a small ecological farm specializing in livestock and specialty crops like ginger and garlic. They work with Farm Sum Food, who produces prepared Chinese foods like steamed buns, ferments, dumplings and more, all with products from Long Road Eco-Farm. Participants in the field day learned about growing specialty crops like ginger, raising

Local News/Events ● NFU-O News/Events: Women and gender-diverse farmers are invited to attend the upcoming NFU Women's Caucus meetings taking place on November 15th at 7:00 p.m. Join us to talk about issues affecting your lives and actions we can take together, on a systemic level, to change the systems that aren’t working on behalf of us, as people. If you are interested in attending, please email Claire at claireapoulton@gmail.com

livestock, seasonal greenhouse use, and developing prepared foods as part of a farm-business model. An NFUO land access field coordinator attended the event to connect with folks in the region around land access opportunities and challenges, and create connections to further the conversation and run programming in the area in the future.

September 23 — Sharing the Land

N F U-O Local 344 (Grey) held a workshop event focusing on regional land access issues. The event included a panel discussion to share the historical context of land access and the perspectives of landless farmers, and a presentation from the Grey County Director of Planning to discuss housing bylaws on-farm.

There was also a community dinner and a sharing circle, to make connections and voice concerns specific to the area.

Heather Newman, the Grey/Bruce N F U-O land linking coordinator helped to make connections amongst participants and shared about the NFU-O’s land access project. The connections made through this will help the NFU-O advocate for land leases that are more suitable for small-scale farmers, and housing solutions for farmers sharing land with land holders.

The N F U-O will continue to prioritize land access work and support the next generation of farmers, as they are crucial to the future of agriculture in Ontario. The N F U-O also recognizes the disproportionate barriers that new, young and BIPOC farmers face when looking for farmland, and is committed to offering heightened support to these communities with this work. ~ Briana Vanular is the NFU-O’s Land Access & Young Farmer Support Coordinator. You can reach her at briana@nfuontario.ca.

A subscription to The Rural Voice is one of the benefits of being an NFU-O member 58 The Rural Voice

Henry Groenestege, President

Perth County

* The Rural Voice is provided to Perth County Pork Producers by the PCPPA perthcountyporkproducers@gmail.com

Pork Producers NEWSLETTER

Perth pork producers thank firefighters with a pork barbeque

The Perth County Pork producers treated Perth‐East Fire Department members and their families to a pork barbeque after they saved a pork producer’s shed from fire.

By Gary West and Craig Hulshof fter a quick response from firefighters saved a member’s shed, The Perth County Pork Producers wanted to honour a group of volunteers in Perth East who sometimes don’t get the recognition they deserve. Firefighters are very important to the community in case of a fire emergency or whenever a first responder is required.

The Perth-East Fire Department members and their families were treated to a smoked Pork Chop BBQ dinner in the Pavillion at Rostock, as a way the local pork producers could say “thanks” to the emergency services and 1st responders for all they do during the year for the community.

Fire Departments in Perth East include members from three stations: Milverton, Sebringville and Shakespeare. Each station has approximately 20 members. The fire fighters train twice a month to learn the tools and techniques of their trade to save us and our property from our worst mistakes or worst of luck.

Training covers everything from how

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to fight a fire from the inside and outside of a building or vehicle, saving someone who has fallen through the ice, extracting people from car accidents, and how to operate the pumper truck.

All of this hard work is necessary and has paid off numerous times. In 2022 the Perth East Fire Department responded to 266 alarms with an average response time of 13.5 minutes. 101 of the alarms were vehicle accidents and 57 of the alarms were fires. They were able to save $21.5 million of property.

The fire department also works to

prevent fires. Their fire prevention officer identifies and responds to complaints about fire hazards. He then works with the property owner to eliminate the hazard. Perth East also employs a public educator who teaches citizens about fire safety and the importance of having a Home Evacuation Plan.

The Perth County Pork Farmers are seen in many areas of the county bringing their Pork Chops and BBQ to a number of social events, in order to provide that hometown local flavour that area residents have come to enjoy. ◊

LOCAL PORK PRODUCTS AVAILABLE Fill your freezer with local pork products Order today from: Tanya and Darryl Terpstra (519-291-7603) or visit Leis Feeds in Milverton – Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon BBQ services for large groups are also available, contact: perthcountyporkproducers@gmail.com for more details.

Pork supplied by: Perth County Pork Producers November 2023 59

519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551 Grey County Federation Email: grey@ofa.on.ca Website: greyfederation.ca of Agriculture * The Rural Voice is provided to OFA Members in Grey County by the GCFA

GCFA Proudly Supports Grey County 4-H 4-H is a program that is available for youth ages 9-21 and focuses on leadership skills and personal development.

This is done through “hands-on learning”.

We have a number of great volunteers who lead the program in Grey County.

Grey County 4-H Showdown at Owen Sound Fair September 8, 9, 2023 The results are as follows: Dairy Show Senior Showmanship Champion Robert Goodwill, Wiarton Reserve Delaney Hopkins, Holstein

Beef Show Novice Showmanship Champion Bennett Tupling, Feversham Reserve , Jaiden Stull, Grey County 4-H Club

Sheep Novice Showmanship Champion Tristan Lush, Grey Highlands Sheep Club Reserve Charlie Pilon, Grey Highlands Sheep Club

Intermediate Showmanship Champion Preslee Hollingworth, Rocklyn Reserve Cassie Smith, Durham/Dundalk

Junior Showmanship Champion Griffin Tuppling, Feversham Reserve Simon Johnson, Desboro

Junior Showmanship Champion Josalyn Bester, Wiarton Sheep Club Reserve Cole Grinwis, Hanover Sheep Club

Junior Showmanship Champion Bennett Heusing, Holstein Club Reserve Amelia Cook, Desboro Club

Champion Intermediate Showperson: Logan Saunders, Rocklyn Calf Club Reserve Aleah McKay, Rocklyn Calf Club

Intermediate Showmanship Champion Sierra Reid, Hanover Sheep Club Reserve Charlotte Woodhouse, Grey Highlands Sheep Club

Novice Showmanship Champion Jaiden Stull, Holstein Club Reserve Samuel Elchuk Holstein Club

Senior beef Showmanship Champion Senior Travis Saunders, Rocklyn Calf Club Reserve Senior Delaney Hopkins, Grey County 4-H Beef Club

Congratulations to our 2023 Grey County 4-H Showdown Grand Champion Dairy Showman Robert Goodwill, Wiarton Reserve Delaney Hopkins, Holstein HM Bennett Heusing, Holstein

Senior Showmanship Champion Olivia Schlosser, Hanover Sheep Club Reserve Alexa Elford, Grey Highlands Sheep Club

Congratulations to 2023 Grey County 4-H Showdown Beef Champion Showman Griffin Tupling, Feversham Reserve Champion Logan Saunders, Rocklyn Calf Club

Congratulations to 2023 Grey County 4-H Showdown Sheep Champion Showman Olivia Schlosser, Hanover Sheep Club Reserve Josalyn Bester, Wiarton Sheep Club

2023 Grey County 4-H Beef Team Aleah McKay – Rocklyn Calf Club Bailey Lawrence – Grey County 4-H Beef Club Bennett Tupling – Feversham Calf Club Caden Martin – Rocklyn Calf Club Callum Grant – Rocklyn Calf Club Colton Marley – Rocklyn Calf Club Connor Adams – Rocklyn Calf Club Cooper Saunders – Rocklyn Calf Club David Kirby – Feversham Calf Club Delaney Hopkins – Grey County 4-H Beef Club Ella Lillico – Grey County 4-H Beef Club Griffin Tupling – Feversham Calf Club Hunter Perkes-O’Neill – Grey County 4-H Beef Club Jaiden Stull – Grey County 4-H Beef Club Logan Kinsley – Grey County 4-H Beef Club Logan Saunders – Rocklyn Calf Club

Madison Saunders – Rocklyn Calf Club Myah Tupling – Grey County 4-H Beef Club Paige Grant – Rocklyn Calf Club Parker McKay – Rocklyn Calf Club Paul Twiss – Feversham Calf Club Peyton Thompson – Rocklyn Calf Club Samuel Squire – Rocklyn Calf Club Sharlotte Stewart – Desboro Calf Club Simon Johnson – Desboro Calf Club Sophie McGuire – Rocklyn Calf Club Spencer McKay – Rocklyn Calf Club Summer McKay – Rocklyn Calf Club Sydney Martin – Rocklyn Calf Club Tate Williams – Rocklyn Calf Club Travis Saunders – Rocklyn Calf Club Taylor Draper – Grey County 4-H Beef Club CONGRATULATIONS to all of these 4-H members!! We wish them success in Toronto as they represent Grey County at the Royal.

Heading to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Grey County TD Classic 2023 Team that will be competing at the RAWF November 6th and 7th Delaney Hopkins - Holstein 4-H club, Hunter Maisonneuve - (alternate)Wiarton, Kara Kapteyn - Wiarton, Joanna Kapteyn - Wiarton, Jack Vickers - Wiarton, Bennett Huesing - Holstein 4-H club Robert Goodwill - Wiarton, Alyssa Mckee - Wiarton Brooklyn Potter - Desboro Chaperone - Jennifer Magwood

* The Rural Voice is provided to OFA Members in Grey County by the GCFA.

60 The Rural Voice

Email: bruce@ofa.on.ca website: brucefederation.ca

NEWSLETTER

519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551 * The Rural Voice is provided to OFA Members in Bruce County by the BCFA

Road Safety is a Year Round Priority

road, you should always drive on the travelled portion of the highway as the shoulder may not be able to support the weight of your farm equipment. Also, although farm equipment is exempt from the width rules in the HTA, you must yield ½ the roadway to oncoming vehicles.

Road safety is a very important topic!

As advocates for Agriculture we try to educate the public about driving safely around farm equipment on the road, as a farmer we also need to be respectful and operate our farm equipment safely.

I personally witnessed a situation with a tractor pulling three gravity boxes and a pickup truck along the roadway, the last gravity box and pickup were acting like a whip taking up two lanes. In my mind a very unsafe situation! We need to lead by example and operate our equipment on the roads in a safe and respectful manner. Please think safety! We want to avoid every farmer being painted with the same brush stroke.

Please review the following information for laws and safety rules for agricultural equipment so everyone can feel safe on Ontario Roadways. Chris Cossitt BCFA President Driver's Licences: A Driver's Licence is not required to drive a farm tractor or self-propelled implement of husbandry along a highway, but you must be at least 16 years old. Children under 16 can only drive farm vehicles directly across a highway. If your Driver's Licence has been suspended for impaired driving, you cannot drive farm machinery on a highway.

Hand-held devices ban: An amendment to the Highway Traffic Act in 2009 banning the use of hand-held devices (cell phones, etc.) while driving applies to farm tractors and selfpropelled implements of husbandry on the road.

Where to Drive: Although it is not illegal to drive farm equipment on the shoulder of the

Lights: Farm vehicles on a highway must use head and tail lights from ½ hour before sunset to ½ hour after sunrise, or when vehicles are not clearly visible from 150 metres (500').

Have at least 2 white lights facing forward and 1 red light facing rearward. When towing implements, the rearmost unit must have at least 1 red tail light; 2 tail lights if over 2.6 metres (8½’) wide. Farm vehicles over 2.6 metres wide require special lighting.

Farm implement combinations over 6.1 metres (20’) long require side marker lights; 2 green or amber at the front and 2 red at the rear; clearly visible from 150 metres.

SMV Signs: Every farm tractor or self-propelled implement on a highway must display a Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) sign.

SMV signs should be centered on the rear of the rearmost vehicle, .6 to 2 metres (2’ – 6’) above the road. Farm equipment using a SMV sign must obey its 40 km/h (25 MPH) speed limit. Amendments to the HTA in 2009 permit farmers to tow implements behind a pickup truck.

The truck/implement combination must operate at a speed of 40 km/h (25 MPH) or less too. Replace faded SMV signs. They must be clearly visible from 150 metres (500’). Farm vehicles carried on a truck or trailer are not slow moving vehicles; they are a load, and the SMV sign should be removed or covered up. As well, SMV signs must not be placed on a fixed object, such as a gate post or mail box, visible from the road.

Fendt, JCB or other High-Speed Tractor: All farm tractors and self-propelled implements of husbandry, including those capable of road speeds over 40 km/h must obey the 40 km/h speed limit attached to use of the

SMV sign. This perspective is based on the following elements in Section 76 (SMV Signs) in the HTA; • Section 76. (1) No person shall operate a slow moving vehicle on a highway unless a slow moving vehicle sign is attached.

• Section 76. (2) Farm tractors and selfpropelled implements of husbandry are slow moving vehicles; • Section 76. (6.1) No person shall operate a slow moving vehicle with a slow moving vehicle sign attached … at a speed greater than 40 kilometers/hour.

Safety Chains: The HTA requires farm wagons and implements drawn along a highway behind a farm tractor, combine, pickup or car, to have two separate means of attachment, so if one fails the towed implement will not separate from the towing vehicle.

The draw bar/hitch provides the first means of attachment; a safety chain/cable the second. A single safety chain is the most common way to meet this requirement. The safety chain must be strong enough to hold the weight of the towed implement plus its load. If more than one implement is towed, each draw bar/hitch combination must have its own safety chain. A three-point hitch does not require a secondary means of attachment. Two chains, crossed under the draw bar is a requirement only for heavy truck trailers.

Self-Propelled Implements of Husbandry (SPIH): SPIH are vehicles “manufactured, designed, redesigned, converted, or reconstructed” for a specific use in farming. When converted from former road vehicles, SPIH should exhibit significant outward, physical change to the cargocarrying portion of the vehicle and the modifications should enable it to perform its specific farm use. SPIH are permitted to travel on a highway without licence plates only if travelling from “farm to farm” to perform their farm use, or to or from places for maintenance or repairs.

All other uses, including farm to commercial elevator or processing plant, require plates.

* The Rural Voice is provided to OFA Members in Bruce County by the BCFA.

November 2023 61

Perth County Federation of Agriculture Email: perthcountyfedofag@gmail.com Website: www.perthcountyfarmers.ca Office: 1-833-229-6834 Julie Danen, President: 519-801-9200

Farm businesses becoming popular target for hackers backing up your data off site, or asking your IT provider to do a cyber risk assessment of your farm business. More resources are becoming available on how farmers can mitigate being the target of cyber crime. OFA is currently releasing a series of four articles with information regarding cyber security in agriculture.

With limited time on the farm, preventative maintenance for a cyber attack has the potential for a big return on investment. ◊

COME CELEBRATE WITH US 2023 PERTH COUNTY

Harvest Gala THURSDAY NOVEMBER 16, 2023 THE ARDEN PARK HOTEL 522 ONTARIO ST., STRATFORD ONTARIO 6:00 PM SOCIAL - 7:00 PM DINNER $70 PER PERSON - $500 PER TABLE OF EIGHT

A PROJECT OF THE PERTH COUNTY FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE

* The Rural Voice is provided to OFA Members in Perth County by the PCFA.

62 The Rural Voice

or call 1-833-229-6834 or contact any PCFA Director

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cyber crime.

Be cautious with free wi-fi in public places. Using your smartphone for banking apps or your business email on an unsecure network can be one way a hacker can gain access to your business information. Having a good firewall, using secure websites, and using a well-encrypted e-mail are becoming just as important as using locks on your farm.

Being proactive with cyber security on your farm can include keeping your software up to date,

For tickets, please email: perthcountyfedofag@gmail.com

Submitted by Pete Nyenhuis PCFA Director s we adapt to using more technology on our farms, the question arises; are we investing enough time and money into cyber security to protect our businesses?

Agricultural businesses are becoming a more popular target for hackers. Imagine going through your e-mail and receiving a notification that your feed company has changed banks and needs you to forward your payments to their new bank account.

The e-mail looks exactly like all the other e-mails you usually receive from the feed company, right down to the business logo at the bottom.

Later, your financial institution calls and asks if you sent an e-mail with a void cheque and requested to forward payments to another bank account. Your e-mail has been hacked and the hacker has been canvassing your incoming and outgoing business emails for six months. It’s not easily noticeable because the hackers were bypassing the main email account and having emails forwarded to other folders.

This happened to a local Ontario farmer. Luckily, the farm owner noticed the red flags and caught on that their e-mail was compromised.

They followed up with all the businesses they correspond with via their business e-mail and managed to avoid any further complications.

In a day and age where more businesses rely on e-mails for communicating with other businesses, invoicing, receiving and sending payments it is a scary thought that this can be a point of vulnerability.

Awareness of these vulnerabilities is an important stepping stone to prevention of becoming a victim of

Index Adam Lesperance........................15 Armstrong’s Home Bakery..........28 Business Centre ............54, 55, 56 Bautec Industries Inc ..................17 Bernie McGlynn Lumber ............46 Bervie Supply ..............................36 Bio-Ag Consultants ....................31 Canadian Co-operative Wool ......15 Celebrating 4H ....................4,7, 63 Chalmers Fuels............................45 Crop Quest Inc ............................31 Cross County Eavestrough ........36 Easy Lift Doors Ltd ......................16 Farm to Table ..............................24 Feeney DesignBuild ..........Cover 4 Green Valley Heating Inc ............23 Hanover Honda..............................8 Hayden Water Wells ....................14 Hearing Life Canada Ltd ..............11 Highland Fuels & Supply ............23 Hill & Hill ............................Cover 2 Holiday Shopping ..9, 13, 41, 44,47,48 Huron Commodities ....................17 Huron Ridge Acres ......................51 Kingwood Bins....................Cover 7 Lakeside Shelving & Racking ....28 Leon Brubacher ..........................27 Maitland Valley Conservation ....51 Mapleview Agri Ltd ....................34 Mark’s Farm Supply ....................19 Marquardt Farm Drainage Ltd ....15 Martin’s Nursery ..........................41 McLeod Water Wells Ltd ............23 MNP LLP ......................................10 Moore Hemsworth Insurance ....36 Morris Sachs Silo Construction ..36 Nature’s Wave Inc ........................19 North Huron Carpentry................21 Ontario Forage Council ..............19 RT Bolton & Son ................Cover 4 RCS Forestry Mulching ................2 Rural Voice Books ..............Cover 6 Santa Claus Parades ............28, 33 Schmidt’s Farm Drainage............32 Seed Directory ..............................3 Schweiss Doors ..........................27 Silver Creek Nursery ..................43 Stratford Crane Rental ..............36 Superior Barn Painting ......Cover 5 SWO Diesel Inc ..................Cover 7 Townsley Barn Painting ..............32 Trimit Field & Forest ....................11 Triple P Consulting ......................31 Trouw Nutrition ............Back Cover Varna Grain ........................Cover 2 WD Hopper & Sons Ltd ................2 Waddell Engineering Ltd ............27

Christkindl Market 2023 December 8th & 9th Friday 4–9pm Saturday 2–9pm

Glencolton Farms Durham, Ontario

For tickets go to: www.christtkindlfarm.com

Become a Leader Age 18 Welcoming Cloverbuds (ages 6-8)

& Youth (ages 9-21)

Proud supporters of 4-H

Celebrating 4-H! Looking for 4-H Alumni to join your local 4-H Association Bruce: brucecounty4h@gmail.com Grey: greycounty4hsecretary@hotmail.com Perth: perth4-h@netflash.net Huron: huron4-hsecretary@hotmail.com

HURON FEEDING SYSTEMS Your local authorized dealer for...

Brussels 519-887-6289 www.huronfeedingsystems.com

• Crop Inputs • Crop Consulting • Crop Protection Products • Seed • Custom Application • Nutrient Management Planning www.brusselsagromart.ca Proud Supporters of 4-H 519-364-3050 • 1-800-275-9551 grey@ofa.on.ca • bruce@ofa.on.ca

Brussels 519-887-6273 November 2023 63

HURON

42 First Avenue, Clinton, Ontario N0M 1L0 519-482-9642 or 1-800-511-1135

County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER

Huron In the Know Workshop The Huron County Federations of Agriculture along with Canadian Mental Health Association will be hosting an In the Know Workshop.

On November 28th, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. we invite you to join us.

Location: at the HCFA office 42 First Ave Clinton Ontario (Vanastra).

In the Know is a mental health literacy program designed specifically for farmers, their families and those who are involved and/or support the agriculture sector. Through this free, four-hour workshop, participants will cover the topics of stress, depression, anxiety, substance use and how to start a conversation around mental well-being. The workshops are facilitated by one of CMHA’s mental health professionals using ‘reallife’ examples from agriculture.

Pre Registration is required so please contact ofahuron@tcc.on.ca

Finding Fairness in Farm Transition Huron County Economic Development is hosting a succession/transition planning workshop with Guest Speaker Elaine Froese (Canada’s Farm Whisperer) November 16, 2023 Goderich 9:30 am to 4:00 pm Tickets are $75 per person and deadline to register is November 2, 2023 Details at huroncounty.ca/economic-development

Website: www.hcfa.on.ca Email: ofahuron@tcc.on.ca

Upcoming Events November 3-12 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Exhibition Place Toronto www.royalfair.org November 11 Remembrance Day November 20th and 21st Ontario Young Farmers Forum in Toronto, ON. “Farm to Fork for the Future.”.

For more information visit www.jfao.on.ca November 21 and 22nd OFA Annual General Meeting in Toronto Huron County Federation of Agriculture

BOARD MEETING Monday, November 27 - 8:00 p.m.

Vanastra office

Room for Rent

The HCFA has a board room available for rent for $40 including HST. Call the HCFA office at 519-482-9642 ext 2 to book your meetings.

HCFA OFFICE The office is open on Mondays and alternate Fridays 9 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Trespassing on private property is a concern in Huron County Trespassing on private property is a concern that is ongoing in Huron County.

Anyone who enters private property without the occupier’s permission, or under legal authority, is trespassing. If they fail to leave when told to do so, they can be found guilty of an offence under the Trespass to Property Act. Examples of people who have the authority to enter private property include land surveyors, utility meter readers, building inspectors, public health inspectors and conservation authority staff.

The OFA website has further information on trespassing at https://ofa.on.ca/resources/trespass-problems-tips-onhow-to-deal-with-trespassing/

Written permission is not necessary under the Trespass to Property Act but it is an excellent idea. Written permission makes clear the details of the permission such as who has permission to enter your property, when they can enter, what activities are permitted and what areas are out of bounds.

In non-emergency situations it is best to report trespassing to your local police. The Ontario Provincial Police Non-Emergency Line is 1-888-3101122. If the situation involves threats or violence then call 911. If the trespass involves hunting, you can also contact the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry violation reporting line at 1877-847-7667.

The Rural Voice is provided to all OFA members in Huron County by the Huron County Federation of Agriculture

64 The Rural Voice

 House & Barn Painting

Liquid Rubber Sealant Uses:  Roof Maintenance & Restorations  Foundations  Bins

 Pressure Washing  Asphalt Coatings  Sand & Air Blasting  Roofs & Walls  Elevator Legs  Lightning Rod Systems  Heavy Duty Seamless Eavestroughing  Fully Insured

We’re also certified applicators of Liquid Rubber

 Free Estimates

Liquid Rubber Features:  Waterproof  Adheres to almost any surface  Resists Cracking & Chipping  Flexible in all weather

Towson Bailie 519-878-1273 Office 519-268-8500

www.barnpainting.ca DORCHESTER

Let us help your business reach the height of efficiency Our team can help your business reach its true potential.

Advertising in The Rural Voice each month will allow your business to be in front of over 11,000 readers.

With ads both in print and on-line, reach a wider audience.

Getting started is as easy as calling 519-523-4311

The Rural Voice Magazine rvads@northhuron.on.ca • 519-523-4311 www.ruralvoice.ca

The Rural Reading Room Specializing in Rural Living & Local Authors

Christmas is Coming - Shop Early!

CANADIAN JINGLE BELLS Take a flying tour of Canada with Santa Claus and his sled pulled by beaver in this charming illustrated children’s book.

Travel from the Yukon and Yellowknife to the west coast and all the way east to Newfoundland. $19.95

I THINK MY GRANDPA MIGHT BE SANTA. Story time is family time. This book is special for every grandchild. A board book which creates, strengthens relationships and emotional growth, entertains with imagination and humour, inspires holiday and family traditions. $13.99

THE NIGHT BEFORE A CANADIAN CHRISTMAS This illustrated storybook has fun putting a Canadian spin on the Night Before Christmas story, such as the fact Santa can’t come down the chimney because there’s smoke coming out of it. $19.95

GRANDMA YOU’RE THE BEST Humorous and inspirational quotes celebrating brilliant grandmothers by dozens of famous people, ranging from Mark Twain, the Dalai Lama and Audrey Hepburn to Homer Simpson. $13.95

CANADIAN JINGLE BELLS THE NIGHT BEFORE A CANADIAN CHRISTMAS QUACK! MOO! OINK! NEVER SELL YOUR HEN ON A RAINY DAY I THINK MY GRANDPA MIGHT BE SANTA GRANDMA YOU’RE THE BEST UNFORGETTABLE ONTARIO Z IS FOR ZAMBONI

QUACK! MOO! OINK! Bring the barnyard to life with 10 farm animal sounds! Fun facts and sounds on every page for your little farmer. $19.99

UNFORGETTABLE ONTARIO This beautifully illustrated guide celebrates 100 of the destinations and events that make Ontario an unforgettable place to travel. $29.95

Qty.

$19.95 $19.95 $19.99 $8.95 $13.99 $13.95 $29.95 $10.99

Total

Total for Books Shipping & Handling $9.00 Canada Post Fuel Surcharge $4.00

Subtotal 5% GST on Subtotal Order Total

NEVER SELL YOUR HEN ON A RAINY DAY Some of those old weather sayings really do make sense. This book explains why. $8.95

Z is for Zamboni An alphabet book, Z is for Zamboni is for the younger hockey fans. Matt Napier's rhymes team up with the illustrations of Melanie Rose to elucidate this increasingly popular game for every beginning hockey fan.

Highlighting rules, players, coaches, teams, and the history of the game, it is both fun and educational. $10.99 Send cheque or money order for full amount to: Books: North Huron Publishing P.O. Box 429, Blyth, ON N0M 1H0 or call and pay by credit card 519-523-4311 MAIL BOOKS TO: Name:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Address: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________________ Code _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Phone: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Prices subject to change with increases in wholesale prices, postage, taxes, etc.

Please refer to current issue for correct figures. Incorrect payment will delay delivery.

Meeting your animals’ needs... with precision Trouw Nutrition is a pioneer in precision nutrition.

For over 35 years, we have been balancing rations to amino acids with our NEWTON® formulation program.

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Contact your local Shur-Gain dealer for more information HENSALL CO-OP Londesborough

HOLSTEIN FEED MILL (2015) LTD.

MCBRAYNE FEEDS & NEEDS LTD.

519-523-9606 / 800-265-9000

Holstein

Dresden

Zurich

519-334-3424

519-683-4439

519-395-5955 / 855-895-5955

THE HITCHING POST (2019) LTD.

TROUW NUTRITION CANADA INC.

Ailsa Craig

St Marys

Tavistock

519-232-4449

519-284-2360

519-655-2033

519-236-7155 / 800-565-7155 Ripley