The Rural Voice - May 2023

May 2023

Rural Voice

The

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

COATED CALVES Jersey calves thrive inside a ventilated shed at Hendriks Dairies

MORE PROCESSING, PLEASE Agriculture leaders beg for more processing capacity in Ontario at politicians meeting

HEALTHY BOUNDARIES Women in agriculture need to create healthy boundaries says mental health expert

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Take time to visit your local fair!

2023 Agricultural Fairs Clinton

June 2-4

Mitchell

Sept 1-3

Seaforth

Sept 15-16

Listowel

July 13-16

Owen Sound

Sept 8-9

Fergus

Sept 15-17

Zurich

July 21-23

Beaver Valley

Sept 8-9

Feversham

Sept 15-17

Drayton

August 11-13

Chesley

Sept 8-9

Harriston-Minto

Sept 15-17

Dungannon

August 12-13

Arthur

Sept 8-10

Shelburne

Sept 15-16

Hanover

August 12-13

Dundalk

Sept 8-10

Embro-Zorra

Sept 16-17

Mt. Forest

August 19

Kirkton

Sept 8-10

IPM

Sept 19-23

Bayfield

August 18-20

Mildmay-Carrick

Sept 8-10

Teeswater

August 18-20

Tavistock

Sept 8-10

Western Fair

Sept 8-17

Cdn. National Exhibition

August 18-Sept 4

Woodstock

August 24-27

Paisley

Sept 9-10

Markdale

August 25-26

Arran-Tara

Sept 12-13

Palmerston

August 25-27

Brussels

Sep. 19-20

Sydenham

Sept 21

Stratford

Sept 21-24

Rocklyn

Sept 23

Howick-Turnberry

Sept 29-30

Ripley-Huron

Sept 28-30

Grand Valley

Sept 22-24

Drumbo

Sept 23-24

Desboro

Sept 1-2

Cdn. Outdoor Farm Show

Sept 12-14

Tiverton

Oct 6-8

Kincardine

Sept 1-2

Neustadt

Sept 15-16

Erin

Oct 6-9

Meaford

Sept 2

Wiarton

Sept 15-16

Walkerton

Oct 13-15

Chatsworth

Sept 16

Lucknow

Sept 15-17

Royal Winter Fair

Nov 3-12

Durham

Sept 1-3

Visit www.ontariofairs.com for more information.

This calendar is presented by

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Contents 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 Publisher: Deb Sholdice

23

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

56 Columns

Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Keith Roulston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Kate Procter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Jeffrey Carter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Mabel’s Grill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Viewpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Gardening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Woodlots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Agrilaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Departments Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Ruralite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Business Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71

Newsletters

National Farmers Union . . . . . . . . . .66 Perth County Pork . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Grey County Federation . . . . . . . . . .68 Bruce County Federation . . . . . . . .69 Perth County Federation . . . . . . . . . .70 Huron County Federation . . . . . . . . .72

18 May 2023 • Cover Photo Tyler Hendriks, Hendriks Dairies Ltd. Photo by Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot

Contributing writers: Keith Roulston, Kate Procter, Jeffrey Carter, Rhea Hamilton Seeger, Arnold Mathers, Donna Lacey, Melisa Luymes, Anne Mann, Carolyn Crawford, Bonnie Sitter, Jeff Tribe, Amanda Brodhagen and Hetty Stuart

• Deadlines: June Issue – May 9

Advertising Sales: Shelley Kroes rvads@northhuron.on.ca

18 The Grass Whisperer

Production co-ordinator & Telemarketing: Joan Caldwell

July Issue – June 13

Having lush pastures for beef cattle is as much about mindset as it is about knowing cattle says grasslands expert

23 Calves in Blue Coats Jersey calves in blue coats thrive in new calf barn at Hendriks Dairies

26 Housing Versus Farming The need to protect farmland while creating more housing is discussed at politicians meeting

32 Desperate for Processing

Farmers unite in asking the Minister of Agriculture for continued support to increase packing capacity

Advertising & editorial production: Dianne Josling 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.

36 Riding in Style KCL Carriages adds equine excitement to special events

38 A Steward of the Land Rick Kootstra shares his philosophy about practicing conservation on his crop farm

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.

NH

ORTH URON

PUBLISHING COMPANY INC.

A division of North Huron Publishing Company Inc.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.

Feedback Letters to the Editor may be sent to The Rural Voice, P.O. Box 429, Blyth, On N0M 1H0

Can we have follow-up on the additional housing tax issue?

The Editor, Like others, I am sure, I was staggered to read Kate Proctor’s column in the April issue of The Rural Voice about the additional housing tax. We are on a rural property outside Blyth, and lease out our cropland to another individual. I forwarded my concerns and questions to our accountant in Stratford who has

many rural farmer clients.

His reply back to me was, in part, as follows: You are okay on this as really you own the house personally in this situation. We only found out the full rules in March as the Canadian Revenue Agency only just released the forms and guidelines in February.

It is totally stupid as it is supposed to be for foreign ownership issues but has hit every farmer in rural Canada.

CRA has backed off on the filing deadline to October 31 now and we will hopefully have a better idea of who has to file it.

Would Kate consider following up on the issue? ◊ – Larry J. Mohring Auburn

Check what gas you use in your chainsaw The Editor, Just a heads up to anyone using a

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2 The Rural Voice

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chainsaw or any other two-cycle engine. We were told years ago that number two gas shortens the life of a small engine, especially with ethanol gasoline.

I have used high test gas for years with good results. This past fall my saws gave me grief. I took them to a small engine shop. He smelled the gas and said, “You should be using Shell number one. It’s the only number one gas that isn’t contaminated with ethanol!” He also stated, “I can hire a helper just to repair engines that do not use Shell number one gas. I could drive a long way for number one gas instead of paying for a new saw.” We need to make our farm organizations aware of this problem for small engines.

When one uses number one gas, if there is only one nozzle for the three grades of gas, I was told that there is a small holding tank for each pumping. I always put five litres of number one into my truck before I fill my small jug. Happy saving. Oh, unfortunately, I have never owned shares in Shell!

– Lloyd Graham Lucknow, ON

Thanks for a great monthly farm magazine!

To the Editor, The April 2023 Rural Voice may be one of the best issues yet.

Rob Nyenhuis’ letter to the editor raised some thought-provoking questions about meaningful Indigenous reconciliation. I do not have good answers but my ancestors landed near Boston in April of 1634.

I feel like after the atrocities of war, eventually, we all have to move forward together for the good of all.

Keith Roulston’s article comparing cows to the new coal in global warming was excellent. So was Kate Procter’s column on the “Important Please read” notices.

Living in the “land of greenhouses’ it was interesting to read what

Feedback Jeff Carter penned. We used to rent the land for cropping where there was a bankruptcy. When you are surrounded with greenhouses, foreign farm workers in bunk houses -(which are good, hard working, people on eight-month Temporary Foreign Worker Program), your local church and school closes, and many farms have sold and neighbours moved, it’s like living and farming next to a subdivision. You feel like a stranger even though you have lived here your whole life. Maybe it’s just a case of progress.

Perth County pork producers newsletter is always interesting as Craig Holshof shared a lot of information on the Olymel Quebec hog plants and its effects there and on Ontario hog farms.

Lastly, all the articles were interesting. Thanks for a great monthly farm magazine. ~ Kevin Kimball Leamington

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EXPERIENCE Huron County’s unique history and rural culture www.HuronCountyMuseum.ca 110 North St., Goderich, ON

4 The Rural Voice

Ruralite

“

By the time a river reaches a lake

or an ocean, it is basically too late to clean it

”

•

Sovereignty

up. Water quality is the sum of millions of

“We need energy sovereignty,

decisions on millions of acres upstream.

food sovereignty and

~ Melisa Luymes on sharing water quality responsibilities.

See page 16

Fun With Words

● I’ve always wondered if chickens communicate using foul language. ● I didn’t think the chiropractor would improve my posture but I stand corrected. ● Studies show that cows produce more milk when the farmer talks to them.

It’s a case of in one ear and out the udder. ● I told my carpenter I didn’t want carpeted steps. He gave me a blank stair.

May Inspiration “To be a farmer is to be a student forever, for each day brings something new. ~John Connell

sovereignty within our borders. We do not have that...the fact that we do not make baby formula in this country ... is unacceptable.” ~ Ben Lobb, MP for Huron Bruce, speaking at the Local Politicians Forum in Huron County See page 32

Humour • DUST Mud with the juice squished out • RAISIN A grape with a sunburn • EGOTIST Someone who is usually me-deep in conversation

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

• Pain and suffering is

Sunset Run

While the sun set east of Shakespeare near Highway 7&8, a pair of horses enjoyed a run on their spring pasture.

Temperatures were soaring and it felt more like summer than spring — their antics reflected everybody’s happiness at the return of warm weather. ~Photo by Gary West

inevitable, but misery is optional.

• A friend walks in when everyone walks out.

•

May 2023 5

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

I

There to Listen

n this column, I’ve praised a dairy farmer (right), a farm specialist (below) and I thought why not stick with the theme and say how impressed I was with the Huron County Federation of Agriculture’s Local Politician Forum. As we all farm in our little commodity silos, it’s hard to keep up with issues other farm sectors are facing. This meeting allows farm leaders to share their successes, concerns and needs with each other and local politicians.

The Minister of Agriculture, Lisa Thompson and MP Ben Lobb have NEVER missed this meeting since I started covering it for The Rural Voice. Listening is huge and they do it well.

G

T

yler Hendriks was an ideal interview subject. A progressive dairy farmer with thirst for knowledge, Tyler had a ready smile, an engaging manner and wasn’t “protecting-my-interests” shy about sharing data about his Jersey herd. I wished my own dairy-farming son had tagged along to learn and said so.

“Well, tell him to come over. I often have people visit while I’m doing the night-time milking,” he said, That night I shared my day with visiting daughter Linaya who is an equine and dairy nutritionist. She saw an opportunity to learn too! Not one to let grass grow under her feet, she contacted Hendriks and drove her brother out to visit with Tyler on a Friday night.

I don’t know everything that was said but I do know visiting other farms and talking farming with fellow farmers is the BEST way to learn different ways of doing things. Networking leads to the exchange of ideas, can boost morale, increase productivity and just helps you enjoy life a little bit more. Sharing what you know solidifies concepts and reveals areas that need to be worked on. Kudos to Hendriks and young farmers like him who understand success leads to leadership, that learning and teaching are intertwined, and sharing knowledge encourages future leaders and strengthens the entire dairy industry.

What you have is a concept, not a plan

iven how many farm succession planning meetings and webinars I have covered, I thought I would be an expert when it came my turn to pass my half of the dairy farm to my son.

Ben and I had already decided on an evaluation, had a “yes, no, maybe” meeting with all the other children to determine who else might want to dairy farm (one yes, one maybe) and even came up with a buy-out plan.

However, when Andrea De Groot, Farm Credit Canada’s Agricultural Transition Specialist sat at my kitchen table to discuss the process, it suddenly became way more complicated.

While she complimented us on our progress, she said more than once that what we had was a concept, not a plan.

Had we talked to lawyers, accountants, tax specialists and investment planners yet?

“Sort of,” I admitted, humbled and a bit overwhelmed at the all the work ahead to make this transition.

I realized what we had so far was a framework and not a terribly complete one at that. During the hours De Groot spent around the table with us, her questions (gained from 6 The Rural Voice

Parlour Parlance

years of experience) made me realize how emotionally fraught this whole transfer is as well. I want to do right by my son, myself, and my parents. They no longer have a financial stake but for sure they have an emotional one as the original dairy farmers. Plus, I want the farm to survive for future generations which may produce a farmer as well.

We thought maybe the generational transfer could be complete by December. The look on De Groot’s face suggested that was highly unlikely.

So I add my voice to many others I have interviewed to say: ● start now and collect information ● realize every transition is incredibly personal, emotional, complicated and likely requires an outside voice to bring clarity to it all ● get in touch with FCC and book your appointment because honestly, De Groot was fantastic — calm, intelligent and helpful I’m so thankful I have the opportunity to pass the family farm to the next generation but my word, it’s not easy. ◊

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Keith Roulston Keith is former publisher of The Rural Voice.

He lives near Blyth, ON.

A sad case reaches a conclusion Time flies quickly, and so I had nearly forgotten about the case of Andrew Blake when our copublication, The Citizen carried the story about the end of his legal case in a recent issue.

Blake, you may recall, was the driver of a Brussels Transport truck carrying pigs to the Fearmans Pork processing plant, (owned by Sofina Foods) in Burlington one day in June, 2020. The plant was regularly in the news in those days because it was routinely protested by animal rights activists.

Getting into the plant was a nightmare for drivers like Blake because truckers were often blocked

by protesters like Regan Russell, a woman in her 60s described as a “fiercely devoted activist” to this and many other causes.

Regan and others from Toronto Pig Save, wanted to shut down the plant and “save the pigs”. They regularly slipped water to the captive pigs inside the trucks which had been weaned from food and water because they were scheduled to be slaughtered. Regan was close enough to the truck that when Blake thought he was clear to drive into the plant, she was run over and killed.

The case made headlines at the time. Three years later it was almost forgotten to the general public.

Not to Blake or to those associated with Russell, of course. So in late March, both sides followed closely as Blake pled guilty to careless driving causing death. The plea resulted in a $2,000 fine and a 12-month term of probation.

Crown attorney Michael Godinho said it was “very reasonable” that Blake might have been acquitted if the case had gone to trial. He added that the case was “as close as it gets

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8 The Rural Voice

to a momentary lapse in judgement or to reasonable diligence”, adding that “the case was far from a slam dunk”. In an agreed-upon statement of facts from the case, the crown and defense attorneys agreed that the driver should have been aware that Russell was near the path of the truck but there was no evidence to suggest Blake intentionally struck Russell.

A report stated that the truck being driven by Blake, based on security footage at the packing plant, stopped at the intersection and Blake waited four minutes, calling police over for help as protesters blocked the driveway to the plant and fed water to the pigs in the truck, according to an agreed statement of facts. When the light was green, Blake began to make a turn into the plant once the driveway had cleared.

Russell then stepped into the driveway as the truck entered the intersection and was struck, the agreed statement of facts said.

Though the criminal case is finished, it’s not the end of the messy business. This past January, Russell’s husband Mark Powell filed a $5 million civil law suit against Blake, Brussels Transport and Sofina Foods.

That case remains unheard.

The whole situation is sad. A woman is dead. Her husband is without his wife. Blake, Brussels Transport and the Fearmans plant have been through three years of heartache and will go through yet more before the civil case is settled.

And there is no end in sight.

Fanatical animal rights believers will continue to treat the lives of pigs, cattle, goats and sheep and any other farm animals as if they are equal to human lives. They will continue to think cattle, goats or sheep kept for milking are abused. They will continue to sneak into barns to take videos of what they consider animal cruelty. They will release captive mink into the wild, though they are not equipped to survive.

Ironically, if no farmer kept animals for meat, milk or hides, and they ate only a vegetarian diet, evidence shows that we would have poorer soil – or maybe they think the solution is growing food in high-rise buildings in cities as some television shows demonstrate. ◊

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May 2023 9

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

What we are doing isn’t working Change is one of the constants in life. For farmers, this may be even more so. No two years are ever the same – weather, markets, world politics, technology, genetics, diseases, pests – the list of changing aspects of the job is endless.

I was reminded recently of one thing that does not seem to change, however, as it seems like all the radio stations were blaring the same headline… “THIS STUDY JUST OUT – FARMERS ARE RETIRING IN DROVES WITH NO SUCCESSORS AND NO SUCCESSION PLAN!!!”

I checked the date, wondering if I had fallen asleep and time travelled back 25 years. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems as if we have been hearing this message forever. OK, I’ll bite. I decided to look up the actual report and get past the headlines.

You can read the report for yourself – I tracked it down on the Royal Bank’s website. https://thought leadership.rbc.com/farmers-wantedthe-labour-renewal-canada-needs-tobuild-the-next-green-revolution. The statistic that was generating the biggest concern is that “By 2033, 40 per cent of Canadian farm operators will retire, placing agriculture on the cusp of one of the biggest labour and leadership transitions in the country’s history.” Also, 66 per cent of farmers do not have a succession plan and a shortfall of 24,000 workers on farms, nurseries, and greenhouses is expected to emerge.

When I graduated from the University of Guelph in 1993, there were similar concerns. A quick look at Stats Canada numbers shows this trend is definitely getting more 10 The Rural Voice

pronounced. In 1991, 37.7 per cent of farm operators were over 55 years of age. In 2021, this number has risen to 60.5 per cent. In addition, the number of young farmers is decreasing. In 1991, 26.5 per cent of farmers fell into the “young” category, while in 2021, only 8.6 per cent were in this category – being defined as an operator less than 40 years old.

Sometimes, through our years of working together, my Dad and I will look at each other and one will say.

“What we are doing isn’t working.”

We try to approach the problem in a different way to address it. This seems like one of those problems.

I am happy to note that I have just barely squeaked under the “old farmer” threshold line. But I have also transitioned from being the person looking forward to being the person looking back when it comes to farm succession. I don’t really know how that happened so quickly.

Now it is my turn to look at the farm, my kids, and figure out what is fair, and right. Then, as they say at every farm succession seminar – have everyone sit down to Christmas dinner together when it is all over.

With farm land values increasing in an astronomical way it’s definitely not getting easier. At one time, I helped deliver “Growing Your Farm Profits” workshops for the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association. These workshops helped farm families start the often difficult conversations associated with succession planning. Going through a checklist would help poeple get into real conversations.

Farm succession is so challenging because it isn’t just about business and dollars – although the big dollars can make finding a good solution feel a bit overwhelming. It is about emotions, history, personalities, expectations and hopes and dreams.

One of my friends, formerly a farmer, mentioned the term “family generational expectations”. While I never hear people talk about this, I think this is also a big part of what makes succession so difficult. Most farmers have an attachment to the land, and can feel the ghosts of past generations of farmers struggling away that have brought them to

where they are today. I wonder if family farms are one of the last capital-rich businesses still owned by individuals and families.

But back to the report. There are definitely interesting findings comparing Canada to other countries.

“Canada’s agricultural skills crisis is already one of the world’s worst. The country has one of the highest skill shortages in food production compared to other major food exporting nations — trailing only the U.S. and the Netherlands.”

“Other nations, like Japan and New Zealand are rapidly deploying national strategies to tackle similar challenges. They are offering incentives to farm operators who become more autonomous or unlock pathways for foreign skilled workers and new farmers to enter their industries. Canada needs to act fast.”

Many of the findings in the report are not surprising, especially to those of us working in the industry. It seems like almost every business, both inside and outside agriculture, has the “help wanted” sign out almost permanently.

Some businesses are even reducing their hours of operation due to lack of labour. We don’t really have that option in farming – so we look to technology as much as we can.

How do we fix this? Increase immigration, increase technology that reduces the need for human labour, and become more efficient.

The report also noted Canada’s lack of investment in research and development across all levels of the agricultural sector.

I wonder if we need to think differently about how to bring young people into agriculture in an environment where current conditions mean that the proceeds of farming will never pay for the high price of land. Throw in the added complication of competition for land from urban areas. After three years of not getting out much, I know I’ve been shocked at the expansion of every urban area I drive to now. I don’t have the answers to these questions – but as with all difficult conversations, pretending they don’t need to happen is not going to help. ◊

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May 2023 11

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

Reconciliation revisited

When I was a youngster, I remember playing “Cowboys and Indians” with a group of boys from our neighbourhood. I preferred being on the side of the Indians, perhaps due to a natural inclination for cheering for the underdog.

It wasn’t until sometime later that I learned there were actual Indians just a few miles away living in the village where I attended the public school. A group of us were discussing ancestry in one recess and I proudly described my Scots roots and others spoke of their heritage but one friend seemed singled out, unhappy, and used the term “Mongolian” to describe his ancestors.

12 The Rural Voice

Later that day, I asked my mother about the response. She said that a couple families in the village had Indian origins and made no further comment.

In Canada today, “Indigenous” is widely viewed as the accepted term for the first inhabitants of the Americas. Through my career as a journalist, and outside of it on occasion, I’ve come into contact with many and have learned something of their culture or, to be more accurate, cultures. I’ve also learned something of their anger, though I suppose one would need to be Indigenous themself to fully appreciate its depth.

I prefer to think of the generous nature of the Indigenous people I’ve met, their intelligence, spirituality, and other positive attributes.

One example of generosity relates the ruined groundwater across a broad swath of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.

In case you haven’t heard the story, the issue is related to the construction and operation of wind turbines, each of which is anchored with a series of steel beams driven

through the shallow and fragile aquifer into the underlying bedrock; as the turbine blades turn, the aquifer is disturbed and particles of black shale find their ways into dozens of wells from which families draw their water. It’s an ongoing concern, though as yet no level of government or the corporate wind farm developers have addressed the issue in a meaningful way.

During the height of the controversy, members of the traditional leadership from the nearby Walpole Island First Nation (who see the protection of the water resources as an obligation) became involved.

They supported the blockade of one of the turbine sites. It was there that I was approached by a young fellow from the First Nation who told me that if the impacted landowners wished for it, members of a certain “Warriors” organization could be enlisted for their support.

Later, just outside a town hall meeting, another of the traditional leaders, a young woman, stepped up to me, stared, and asked what I was about in what seemed a challenging manner. I replied, “It’s all about the love” for at that moment, that is exactly what I felt.

She seemed mildly disappointed at my response, chagrined perhaps, and stepped away.

I’d seen her earlier at the blockade, staring intently from a distance, with a hand gesture as if warding off evil intent. At the time I thought, “I carry my grandmothers with me” – they were all women whose strength lay in endurance.

I agree with several points in the article written by Gary Kenny that appeared in the March edition though I question the premise of settler privilege, especially when used as a kind of blanket statement. I also read the letter to the editor that appeared in response to the Kenny article which encouraged readers of The Rural Voice not “fall victim to a brand of moralism masked as ideology” and concluded, “Your readers are not that stupid.”

Neither are the Indigenous peoples.

Many of their number, I suspect, grow weary of the talk as I do: the

insistence of land acknowledgement (typically an empty gesture); the assumption that privilege and moral standing can somehow be attached to race; the lack of nuance as history is reimagined; the transference of culpability for the wrongs of the past to today’s generation; the fashionable trend of modern-day ‘settlers’ allying themselves with the Indigenous peoples; the term settler itself as currently in a modern context.

I am not a settler though if you go back far enough, my ancestors were.

My mother’s people travelled from Scotland in the 19th century, some with little more than their ambition.

The other side, the Carters and Millers, immigrated to Canada from the United States early in the 1800s.

As the family history relates, the grandfather of my grandfather – William Carter – had been ‘captured’

by Indians as a child and at the age of

21 was granted by the chief of his captors 100 acres of his choice in what was then Upper Canada.

Reconciliation does, must and will need to move forward. Must move forward. Will move forward. Yet only through empowerment of all peoples can this be successfully achieved. Layering further division on the issue through the ill-conceived transference of blame is helpful to no one. ◊

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

The breakfast session at Mabel’s Grill was a little earlier than usual one sunny, warm day recently.

“I’ve got a lot of crop to get planted,” explained Dave Winston who had the biggest cash crop acreage, as well as his busy pig barn.

“Times like this I’m glad I don’t have more crop than I do,” sighed Cliff Murray as he scanned the menu.

“You guys are early this morning,” said Molly Whiteside as she arrived to take their orders. “You must have exciting days ahead.”

“Oh yeah, watching a couple of hundred acres of dirt go past the tractor-cab’s window,” sighed Dave.

“Well I just saw this story on the TV news that in the next decade 40 per cent of Canadian farmers are going to retire,” said Molly.

“Well not before this crop gets

planted,” sighed Dave.

“You can tell he hates planting,” said Cliff with a wink. “He’s been out in the shed getting the equipment ready to go for months now.”

“I’ll have the pancakes and fresh maple syrup,” said George Mackenzie, who had been immersed in the menu as the guys talked.

“Well, he’s in a good mood this morning,” smirked Dave. Still, it prompted the rest of the guys to decide their orders, which Molly took after warning they might be slower getting their orders because things were plenty busy this early.

“What’s bothering you this morning?” wondered Cliff.

“I’m thinking of selling out,” grumbled George.

Dave expressed amazement. “I thought we’d have the reception after your funeral on your farm.”

“Yeah, well, the wife gave me this article to read that said how much farmland was selling for these days,” grumbled George. “I could be a millionaire if we sold out and moved to town instead of stayed farming with my wife working to keep us

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14 The Rural Voice

going. I think she’s getting tired of working.”

“I saw that article,” said Cliff. “It makes you wonder why we’re working and worrying when we could be living a good life in town.”

“But we keep farming and when we die our kids, who didn’t want to farm but wanted to teach or be in medicine or some other high-paying town job, can sell our farms and split the money and take vacations in Mexico,” grumbled George.

“Thankfully, my kids aren’t old enough to worry where are they going to find the kind of money they’d need to buy me out anyway,?” commented Dave.

“And then you see articles like the one that Molly was talking about that say 40 per cent of today’s farmers are going to retire in the next 10 years and you wonder where the buyers are going to come from?” said Cliff.

“I can’t say I’m looking forward to moving to town after spending my whole life on the farm,” sighed George.

“Yeah, when they were home for Thanksgiving last Fall, my son, who lives in a 22nd storey condo in Missisauga, was up early and saying he’d forgotten how quiet it was at sunrise,” Cliff recalled.

“My daughter, the chiropractor from Waterloo, told my wife and I she sunbathed naked in the backyard when she was a teenager and we were off at the CNE,” George confessed. “I’ll bet she doesn’t do that in her backyard now.”

“It’s a good job you live up a long lane with plenty or trees,” said Dave.

“She was one good-looking girl!”

“Mind your manners or I’ll tell your wife,” George said.

“Tell his wife what?” asked Molly as she delivered their orders.

“We were just following up on that information you had earlier about 40 per cent of farmers retiring in the next decade,” said Cliff.

“You thinking about selling out?”

Molly wondered.

“George is,” said Dave.

“Really? Will you still be coming in every morning?” Molly wondered.

“Probably,” George said.

“Good,” said Molly, “but I hope you can tip better when you’re a retired millionaire.” ◊

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

Shared responsibilities in the headwaters I drove to the Chesapeake Bay in the first week of April and every field I saw across the Delmarva Peninsula through Maryland had a cover crop on it. Every. Last. One. I could barely believe it.

Water quality has been a big concern in their Bay for a while now.

They have similar issues to our Lake Erie phosphorus levels and algal blooms, except they are driven more by nitrogen in the Bay’s saltier waters.

As farmers know, nitrogen is both leaky and gassy. If you don’t use it right away, you lose it. This is why applying nitrogen in-season is the most efficient use of it. Overwintering cover crops means that living roots are making use of that nitrogen to keep it from off-gassing or leaching into watercourses.

While the state of Maryland hugs most of the Chesapeake Bay, the nearly three-million-acre watershed extends far up into New York state, through Pennsylvania and includes Virginia and Washington, D.C. as well. So, perhaps it is no wonder that this body of water gets more attention than others.

And by attention, I mean scrutiny and regulation, but also public support. Maryland is chicken country and farmers require something akin to our nutrient management plans, but their cover crop payment program is the most generous I’ve seen. The base payment is $55/ac (USD) with $10 bonuses for early planting, mix of species or late termination, up to ~$90 on every acre. So that could also explain all the cover crops, I guess.

On the Peninsula, they are farming only a few metres above sea level and only a few minutes from

the beach. It is where they swim and where their seafood comes from, so farmers share concerns about the Bay’s water quality.

But what about the headwaters?

The headwaters are where all the rivers of a watershed begin. From driving to Maryland and back, I can say with confidence that there is not much farming happening in the Appalachian Mountains, but there are plenty of people living there. And all their activity impacts a body of water several hours downstream.

Let’s bring it closer to home and closer to my heart. This month I’m getting a stewardship program planned with Perth County and its residents. Perth doesn’t touch any of the Great Lakes, but it is the headwaters of five major rivers that go to Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie. While the population of Perth County is less than 40,000, their activities impact well over 400,000 people that live just along these five rivers… not to mention the millions that live around the lakes.

By the time a river reaches a lake or an ocean, it is basically too late to clean it up. Water quality is the sum of millions of decisions on millions of acres upstream. This means there are millions of opportunities to improve it. In towns, we can improve stormwater management, wastewater treatment and reduce lawn fertilizers; in rural areas there are opportunities for wetlands and woodlots, buffers on streams and ditches, as well as improving management of soil, manure and fertilizer. Controlling and recycling field drainage water for irrigation is another big win-win for farming and water quality, and I’m really looking forward to seeing more of this innovation in Ontario.

I’ve also done some work in the Garvey-Glenn watershed, north of Goderich. These farmers have worked with Maitland Conservation, the Huron Clean Water Project and other funding partners and done phenomenal work in their headwaters, with dozens of erosion control berms, min-till and cover crops, and buffering 90 per cent of the drains and watercourses. But the whole watershed is only 4,200 acres before it hits Lake Huron and

includes about 25 farmers – that all know each other. On that scale, there is a lot more motivation to improve the downstream conditions when you see them all the time.

It is harder to see our shared responsibility in the Grand River watershed (1.5 million acres) or the Thames (850,00 acres) but it is still there. And by shared responsibility, I do really mean shared. In Perth County, farmers make up eight per cent of the population but manage 93 per cent of the acres. Improving water quality can be a huge investment of time and resources that shouldn’t fall unfairly to farmers, who are already up against our cheap food policy. I don’t know how I feel about $70-120 per acre payments for cover crops, but I do think the responsibility for water quality falls on everyone who eats.

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Beef

Pasture tips from the “Grass Whisperer” Advocating “linger grazing” and a change of mindset about pasture ecology, Troy Bishopp riveted a crowd of hundreds at a spring grazing meeting in Brussels • By Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot

A

Give pastures more time to recover and make more time for grandchildren was advice given to beef farmers from grassland advocate Troy Bishopp at a Spring Grazing meeting in Brussels in March.

sixth generation beef farmer with a love of grass and a swath of advice told hundreds at a Spring Grazing meeting in Brussels to look in the mirror and be “linger grazers” if they want to raise healthy cows and have a great life.

Affectionately known as “The Grass Whisperer”, Troy Bishopp has been a grass farmer for 36 years at Bishopp Family Farm in Deansboro, New York. A grasslands advocate and Conservation Professional at Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District, Bishopp raises dairy heifers, grass-finished beef and backgrounds feeder cattle on 180 acres of owned and leased cool season pastures.

Brussels Agri Services Ltd owners Tim and Donna Prior and their team brought Bishopp in from New York to give lessons on life, with a few tidbits on how to grow grass and raise cattle.

Like any good conversationalist, Bishopp started off talking about the weather. “I have no snow, you got snow, nobody has snow,” he said. “A lot of us don’t know what is going on with the weather and that is one of the many problems we have to face.” However, the biggest problem most farmers have is the person they meet in the mirror.

Showing pictures of his farm with lush, green pastures compared to other pastures eaten to the ground and exhibiting signs of erosion, Bishopp said the biggest difference is not fertilizer or weather, it is mindset. “ I t ’ s 18 The Rural Voice

not the cow, it’s the how,” said Bishopp. “We are the problem.” Whether from a lack of goals or disinterest in learning new methods of grazing, it’s the farmers themselves that need to change. That change begins with creating a context for your farm and your life. A context is what moves people in the direction they want to go and it starts with setting long-term goals. Without goals and context you cannot be where you need to be.”

Bishopp shared his goal statement which merged farm and family life and revolves around creating space for the next generation. The best way to do that is with permanent sod, he believes. It reads: “We want a stress-free life, with our topsoil covered with diverse pastures, harvested by animals, whereby recycling solar energy and activating the biological life to produce a sustainable profit for us while regenerating our community with local food and creating a savanna for wildlife and a place for the next generation to thrive.”

Bishopp said his most important tool is the next generation, which is what drives his position. He said most farmers look at tomorrow and profits but families and farms would be healthier if they looked 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years down the road. Yet, he also believes farmers should have a toolbox of strategies to be able to deal with all the vagaries of farming. Charting is a critical one.

Bishopp charts data from his pastures, including growth rates to determine when cattle should be moved from one

pasture to another. It used to be that pastures on his farm would recover after 15 days in the spring. With drought becoming a yearly issue, these same pastures are now taking up to 38 days to fully recover. "We have to be proactive.”

These annual charts then become planning tools, allowing farmers to project cattle movements up to three months in advance. The best part about this is that they are “true”.

Many farmers look across their field and use their eyes to believe the grass is growing an inch a day, said Bishopp. You won’t know if that is accurate until you actually measure and chart it.

He said farmers need to have sacrifice pastures and barnyards for rain events to keep cattle off the fields, and “always, always, always” have hay in the barn to supplement when faced with drought or severe weather events.

Pastures need to be managed.

Bishopp said there are farmers running low on hay now who have already let their cattle into pastures that were eaten too short last fall. He said those farmers have lost before they even began because grass cannot recover if not given a chance to grow.

He understands that finances drive most decisions which is why he has opted to farm and have two other jobs. Custom grazing beef cattle provided a steady income on his 100 acres and he chose that “steadiness” to reduce stress and make sure there was work and money for his employees.

On the Bishopp farm, it’s all about grass and rotating cattle before grass is eaten too short to recuperate. He has many strategies along the line of regeneration agriculture and mob grazing (short duration, high density grazing with a longer than usual grass recovery period) to make sure each pasture has lush regrowth. That includes winter pastures, which are left to go to seed before the cattle enter. The cows eat and stamp seeds into the ground. This pasture is left to reseed naturally creating some excellent late summer pastures, explained Bishopp.

His thick pastures also provide

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ecosystem services because the healthy soil underneath the grass can absorb heavy rains. If there are washouts, the water doesn’t take soil with it because all the soil is covered.

Three watercourses on the farm sequester water. “We should start charging the town for our ecosystem services instead of beef,” said Bishopp.

However, he was quick to point out that what works on his farm may not work on all farms. He encouraged the hundreds of farmers in attendance to develop a full toolbox of strategies. Use your mind to think about your financial resources, land capacity, infrastructure, soil fertility, biological life, plants, animals, time management, equipment and mentors, he advised.

Moreover, invest in yourself, urged Bishopp. “Here’s a tidbit for you…get a mentor. Read books.

Watch Youtube. Learn your craft as grazers.” Bishopp said he considers himself a craftsman and takes his skill at growing grass as seriously as a woodworker does making a cabinet. Mentors are a key part of that. They let you rant and they have wisdom. “They are in book form except they breathe,” said Bishopp.

Swinging back to life advice (which, in Bishopp’s world, is also farming advice) he recommended more farmers adopt “linger grazing.”

Bishopp defines that as observing the little things and thinking about how they affect the big things. “We need to observe when we walk the land because it’s the little thing that affect big thing…like our happiness.”

One of the joys on his farm is that planting trees and creating healthy pastures welcomes nature back in.

Leaving a field to seed has so many benefits including reseeding the pasture and providing habitat for birds Other advice Bishopp offered during the spring grazing session included: ● Invest in quality. Bishopp said on their farm, his father was frugal and often bought cheap gates to move cattle. “It took years of getting crushed by cows and gates to say ‘maybe we should get a better system’.” They built a corral with 20 The Rural Voice

quality materials and said it was one of the best investments they ever made. ● Think smart about fertilizer: The Bishopp farm has many hills and

the poorest soil is at the top of the hills. Too steep for a tractor and manure spreader to travel, Bishopp lets his cows do the work. “We bring the hay up there and let the cows do

Troy Bishopp (top left) was brought to Brussels by Tim Prior (top right) of Brussels Agri Services Ltd. for his spring grazing meeting in March where hundreds were encouraged to keep a grazing plan chart (above) to monitor their pastures to provide time for grass to recuperate in a rotational grazing system.

their business,” he said. ● Invest in perennial grasses: The longevity of the grasses and their long roots are an excellent prevention against drought, which is common in New York. ● Take the lead in cow education: “In New York cows are bad. They are targets. But most of the people who talk about cows do not have any.

I think farmers should be the leaders in this discussion. Somehow we are getting beat but with education and vigour, we can turn the tide.” Cattle may burp and fart, but their system turns grass (which humans cannot digest) into food that humans can digest, all the while fertilizing the fields with manure. ● Don’t buy more cows: Bishopp says he sees it over and over again… as soon as there is a good growth year, farmers add another 10 cattle.

“We ALWAYS add more cows,” said Bishopp. The problem is, the farmers don’t think what will happen 30 days from then when drought hits or even just how it fits into their overall grazing plan. Generally, farmers have too many cows and too little land which results in overgrazing on fields that never get time to recover. Bishopp likes to have more grazing days than more animals. “We went from 180 grazing days to 240 and found there is more money in that for us than to have 10 extra cows.” ● Make time for camping: Having a plan and pasture with lots of feed means there are more free days for fun stuff like camping. Bishopp’s plan predicts the day when cows need to be moved to the next pasture which gives him space to camp in between. “We had 39 camping days last year,” he said. “To me, that is the most important – more important than money.” ● Be resilient: The world is changing and there will be more food disruptions, climate issues, and laws about fuel and fertilizer. Farmers need to think about resiliency and that starts with grass. Bishopp joked a lot during his presentation but he was dead serious when he advised people to enjoy being farmers by rolling in the grass because it’s a building block of life. ◊

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Undercover calves in blue coats • By Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot

Ventilation freshens new storage shed to serve as a bright, airy calf barn at Hendriks Dairies Ltd. New barn calves have lots of space in the new Agriplex Flex‐Pens at Hendricks Dairies Ltd in a new storage shed/calf barn that gets calves out of calf hutches.

A

fter digging out the calf hutches during the great Christmas snowstorm of 2022 and worrying about the health of his calves, Tyler Hendriks decided to adapt a section of a new storage shed into a calf barn for his Jersey calves.

The new build created machinery storage, commodity storage and reserved space for an open calf barn, complete with turkey curtains and a special, draft-proof entrance.

With pens for 39 calves and room for 50 underneath two air tubes, the calves live inside Agri-Plastic Flex-Pens that are eight feet in length. Designed to European animal welfare standards, the pens have windows built in the partitions to allow calves to see each other. Each partition can be removed to create group housing, a requirement that may come into place once the updated Dairy Code of Practice is released this year. Hendriks prefers having calves in individual pens to prevent cross-sucking but is open to pairing calves if required under the new code.

Calves at Hendriks Dairies Ltd near Brucefield are born in large birthing pens in the main barn, where cows are kept on a bedding pack thick with straw. Newborn calves are weighed and transferred to the new calf barn where they are tube fed colostrum for their first and second feeding. They are also given a First Defence bolus to increase their immunity and Inforce nasal vaccine as a safeguard against respiratory illness.

At two weeks of age, the calves’ milk volume is

increased to six litres. “We have been feeding whole milk the past four years and that’s largely because there isn’t any milk replacer on the market that is formulated for Jersey specifications,” said Tyler Hendriks, owner/operator of the farm. His wife, Emily, and parents Henry and Patti Hendriks have shares in the farm and also help in this multi-generational operation.

Depending on birth date and weight, calves are weaned around 60 days and weighed again. Prior to weaning, Tyler takes a “step-down” approach by eliminating one milk feeding per day. These calves have already begun making the adjustment to a straw-mix calf starter and water. Recording weight data helps the business track how different feeding strategies and health supplements affect/improve growth rates.

During winter and spring, newborn calves wear “coats” to keep them warm. Tyler explains that Jerseys are the smallest of the dairy breeds and the calves are born ranging from 50-60 pounds, with most in the 60-pound range. They have very little fat and size to keep them warm and good calf management is key to help them thrive. In contrast, calves born from Jersey cows bred to Angus beef bulls (the Hendriks breed cattle in the bottom of the genetic pool to beef) weigh 90-120 pounds.

Calves will stay in this new, bright, spacious, calf barn for three months before moving to another barn on site. At seven months of age, they move again to a CoverAll pack May 2023 23

Jersey calves at Hendriks Dairies Ltd. near Brucefield are tube‐fed colostrum at birth, then bottle‐fed milk while transitioning to a straw‐mix calf starter (left) and water before being weaned. The new plastic penning (middle) allows owner Tyler Hendriks to pair calves if needed. Below, calves are kept warm with the aid of blue calf coats until temperatures warm up while air tubes (not seen) provide fresh air to the calves. Tyler is the primary calf care provider on the dairy farm and uses a weigh scale to measure calves pre and post weaning to collect data and help him make management decisions on nutritional supplements he feeds to the calves.

24 The Rural Voice

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Calf tags keep track of genetics, birth dates and other data on Jersey calves at Hendriks Dairies Ltd. near Brucefield. barn across the road at his parents’ place. Henry takes over from there, implementing a heifer feeding and breeding strategy. The heifers return to the main dairy barn five months before calving.

Hendriks is not a believer of having all the animals under “one roof” because each stage of the cow’s life requires different ventilation requirements. However, he would prefer all the animals were on one site so he didn’t have to travel down the road with a tractor and Total Mixed Ration mixer for feeding or a skid steer to clean pens.

Hendriks is keeping many of the existing calf hutches he used to raise the Jersey/Angus cross calves. Others were sold to friends and neighbours.

As the primary calf care person on the farm, Hendriks is enjoying the new facility. Because it is a distance from the main barn, he uses a Sideby-Side to bring milk from the main barn to the calves. The calves are bedded with straw stored in the commodity shed beside the multipurpose calf barn.

Clean, cool and fresh, the barn will definitely keep the snow off the calves and is less labour-intensive than the outdoor calf hutches.

Hendriks says he loves analytics and achieving production goals so beginning with healthy calves is the first step towards meeting his dairy production goals. ◊

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Politics

Worries mount over housing, climate and labour

Multiple commodity groups presented at Politicians Day, hosted by the Grey and Bruce Federations of Agriculture on March 25 at the Keady Community Centre. Speaking during the question and answer portion of the day were Drew Spoelstra, VP of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA); Mark Hamel, Dairy Farmers of Grey and Bruce; Jay Lennox, of the OFA Zone 2 Sheep Producers; Keith Reid, 1st VP of the Grey County Federation of Agriculture, who was representing Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) at the event; Brian Gilroy of the Georgian Bay Fruit Growers; Rob Lipsett of Bruce Grey Beef Producers and Karen Gillan of Drinking Water Source Protection. ~ Photo by Kate Russell

T

here was a full house in the Keady Community Centre on March 25 as the Bruce County and Grey County Federations of Agriculture hosted their 15th annual politicians’ day.

With a view to providing municipal, provincial and federal government representatives with constructive input from grassroots organizations, the day offered updates from the federations and commodity organizations in the area.

“What’s good for agriculture is good for rural communities,” said Ontario Federation of Agriculture Vice-President Drew Spoelstra in his opening remarks to the gathered politicians from all levels of government.

“We’re trying to make rural Ontario a better place to live.”

Spoelstra said the OFA provides plenty of research, online resources and advocates on issues to the government. The organization recently made presentations to the federal government about global food security and Bill C234 carbon tax and to provincial ministries about building code changes, veterinary malpractice insurance, ecological offsetting and both Bill 39, which affects regional municipalities and Bill 23 – the More Homes Built Faster Act. The keynote speaker for the day, Kevin Eby, is a professional planner who made headlines in late 2020 when he and six other members resigned from Ontario’s Greenbelt Council in response to concerns about the direction of environmental and conservation policy in the province. He spoke to concerns over Bill 23, which affects conservation authorities, wetlands and multiple Greenbelt areas.

He stressed the bill does not account for the idea there is 26 The Rural Voice

Bill 23 will cost Grey Bruce thousands of acres of farmland says speaker at Politicians’ Day in Grey/Bruce counties • By Kate Russell already plenty of land to build on. Adding thousands of hectares to urban areas through the official plan amendment process and removing 3,000 hectares from the Greenbelt is just not necessary, he said.

“Shortage of land isn’t the cause of the problem,” he said, noting the February 2022 Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force report recommended process improvements, changing regulations and incentivizing housing for developers. It did not suggest the sweeping changes to land use and conservation found in Bill 23.

“Fifteen municipalities have over 1.5 million units already under consideration. There is no land issue driving this.

The land that’s being brought in now has never been considered for development.”

Throughout the day, presentations were offered from various agricultural sectors. Derek Dupuis of the Bruce Grey chapter of the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement

Association gave a brief update about the grassroots non-profit, which promotes optimal farm production and stewardship practices.

The group’s primary concern is federal targets to reduce nitrogen emissions by 30 per cent. The association believes nitrogen inhibitors and the 4 R’s of fertilizer

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“Emission reduction will severely impact our production,” he said, adding crop farmers need to be sure they aren’t mandated to reduce their “actual use of nitrogen.” Farmers still need to fertilize and are seeking funding “for farmers to do their own research” so they are “able to reduce for optimal use.”

Dairy farmers are most in need of infrastructure investment, modernization of education programs and training facilities and less red tape, according to Mark Hamel, Bruce Grey Region 11 rep and ViceChair of the Board of the Dairy Farmers of Ontario.

“Our number one priority is investment,” said Hamel in his remarks at the event. He called on the province to build processing capacity to “incentivize and attract companies to build and expand here.” He also noted existing facilities need to be upgraded and modernized to bring more “sustainable practices and innovations” to the sector.

“We see ourselves as the solution,” he said about climate change initiatives and the idea of being net zero by 2050. Hamel said this will have to be phased in as some

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aspects of going green require investment, so compensation or grant support would be helpful. “We are not necessarily the problem.”

Beef farmers agree. Rod Lipsett of the Bruce Grey Beef Producers suggested the biggest priority in his sector is the environment. He noted the cattle industry has received negative attention in these days of climate concerns.

“We can’t help but feel we’ve been thrown under the bus. We’re a very small percentage of GHGs (Greenhouse Gases),” he said, noting the farmland cattle producers manage is one of the keys to fighting climate change. “We have a lot of land.

We’re a carbon sink. We need more pasture protection and retention.”

Sheep producer Jay Lennox, Grey Bruce Director (District 2) with Ontario Sheep Farmers (OSF), said they still have a tough time profiting from herds.

“We’ve just come through one of the best years, yet we’re still having problems meeting our costs of production.” he said, suggesting the need to increase the cap on the

Ontario Risk Management program by $100 million annually and the need for more processing capacity.

He added municipal bylaws need to recognize livestock guardian dogs, which are “not pets, they are working animals” and regulations could be improved. “We’ll help with guidelines as predation is one of our greatest challenges.”

Fruit growers have multiple concerns from pest control to multiple agencies overseeing temporary migrant worker programs, according to Georgian Bay Fruit Growers representative Brian Gilroy.

“We depend on crop protection,” he said. Gilroy believes pest control is essential but needs to be safe, responsibly-used and science based and that any product harmful to the environment or the public should not be registered for use in Canada or on imported products. “I’m fearful of what’s happening in the world of crop protection at the federal level.

We’re keen on lesser and better use, but we need the tools.”

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environmental concerns and climate mitigation regulations to labour needs and land loss.

“Farmers are not the bad actors when it comes to climate change, we seem to be an easy scapegoat for the rest of society,” he said. Gilroy also feels agricultural land is being overrun by the demand for housing and called for “specialty and prime agricultural land to be protected.”

On the labour front, Gilroy is a passionate advocate for migrant workers, who have travelled as seasonal employees to the area for decades. He said the housing issue for workers has become “very challenging” as he personally has been “harassed” by inspectors on international workers and random audits of his orchards, with inspectors visiting eight times in four months.

A panel discussion followed the presentations, which also included overviews of programs from Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) and the Drinking Water Source Protection group covering the Saugeen and Grey Sauble areas.

During the question period, the idea of a code of conduct for grocery stores was discussed at length, to put “retail chains on the spot” as consumers often place the blame for the cost of products on farmers when the fault is at the mark-up stage in stores. The maintenance of rural infrastructure and the impact of the increasing pressure for housing in rural areas was also highlighted.

“We’re upholding the right to farm,” said dairy farmer Hamel, who worries encroaching housing will affect farming everywhere. “With more housing coming to the country and new home lots, we have to recognize the impact on all agricultural sectors. We hope for good relationships with municipalities to support our farms.”

In comments during the day, it seemed the many politicians present were listening.

“Walk a mile in our shoes before you make policies that impact us,” suggested fruit grower Gilroy. “We are important to this province. What we do feeds this province. There is no more honourable profession than farming.” ◊

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Politics

More processing plants please Agricultural leaders tell politicians they are tired of losing revenue and paying the cost of transportation due to the lack of processing facilities in Ontario Despite concerns about trade, labour, land use planning and processing space, farm leaders had praise for the Minister of Agriculture Lisa Thompson (left) and MP Ben Lobb (right) who sat at the head table with Murray Workman (centre), Huron County Federation of Agriculture President at the annual Local Politician Forum held March 31 in Holmesville.

T

he asks and thanks kept Huron Bruce MP Ben Lobb and Huron Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson alternating between smiles and serious nods at the Huron County Federation of Agriculture’s MP/MPP and Local Politician Forum held March 31 in Holmesville.

There were demands for more processing facilities in Ontario and wishes for more funds via the Risk Management Program. At the same time, commodity leaders were vocal in their thanks to Lobb and Thompson for their commitment to agriculture. Lobb was praised as his private member’s bill exempting Canadian farmers from the carbon tax on natural gas and propane used to dry crops and heat livestock was passed.

There was a convivial atmosphere and this event, held annually, gave agricultural commodity leaders a chance to share their successes, concerns and needs with Lobb and Thompson. The two listened, then shared their own successes, concerns and needs. It’s evident there is a longstanding respect between all but that didn’t stop some leaders from urging the pair to do something about the lack of processing capacity in Ontario.

“In the last couple of months and years, we have lost a lot of processing capacity to Quebec and the United States,” said Philip Van Raay, representing the Huron 32 The Rural Voice

● By Lisa

Boonstoppel-Pot

County Pork Producers. “We could keep that money in Ontario if we kept the pigs here.” He explained that when pigs get shipped south for processing, it can cost farmers an additional $25 per animal with the carbon tax. Not to mention the worries about African Swine Fever (ASF) making its way to Canada from the United States and how hard it is on farmers to have pigs (which keep growing) crowding in barns and potentially being euthanized if there isn’t space to process them.

Beef farmers feel a similar pinch and want to see increased investment in programs that support meat processing capacity and infrastructure, along with the training, recruitment and retention of meat cutters and butchers.

Keith Todd, representing Ontario Sheep Farmers District 3, also chimed in saying in order to grow the sheep industry, they need more grocery space and a place to process lamb. “We NEED a federal processing plant,” he stressed, citing the closure of TruHarvest in Toronto, a farmer-owned packing plant that suspended operations in January.

Dairy farmers are also worried, said Huron County Dairy Producers spokesperson Lorenz Guntensperger. “We are as concerned about the lack of processing as the others.

In the dairy sector, we are processing at 100 percent capacity. When something goes down, we are in a pinch,” he said. Guntensperger also spoke to the insensibility of a government concerned about the carbon footprint while milk is being shipped from one end of the province to the other to be processed. “We want to figure out options for processing on this side of Toronto, in Huron and Perth County,” he said.

“It was great to see in the budget there is money being allocated for this issue because there is a great demand for protein and we have an abundance of milk so hopefully this will spur more processing and get something figured out to keep the money in Ontario.”

Ethan Wallace, a dairy farmer and Ontario Federation of Agriculture board director said processing is key to the agricultural industry and a requirement for strong communities.

“Being able to process the commodities we produce in this county will add exponential dollars to our tax rolls and economy,” he said.

The lack of processing for meat and dairy has been vocalized for many years at this politicians forum and Thompson was pleased to report that a $10 million efficiency program for processors has been created to modernize existing processing facilities. She has toured the Lactalis Canada dairy plant in Winchester and saw their plans for expansion. “I thought, wait, where is Southwestern Ontario in this plan,” said Thompson.

However, she said the plan was “phenomenal” and that the company and local municipal council have worked in tandem to create this opportunity. “If we want to attract value-added processing, we need to think about where the opportunities are and how we can be shovel-ready to bring processors to farmers.”

Lobb said the need for more processing is more important than ever in order for Canada to be a sovereign nation. “Food is a sovereign issue,” he said. “We need energy sovereignty, food sovereignty and sovereignty within our borders.

We do not have that. When we hear issues with abattoirs and processors

and the fact that we do not make baby formula in this country, well that is unacceptable.” For many years Canada has looked at off-shore production but it’s time to look at home, he said.

A processing plant in central Ontario would add to the country’s gross domestic product, would create jobs and would also protect Canada from “country of origin” labelling issues. Plus, it would be better for the environment, explained Lobb. obb was praised for his success in having Bill-C-234 passed in the House of Commons in March. “To have a private member’s bill passed in direct opposition to the leadership of the day is almost unheard of,” said Wallace.

Lobb was thanked by many agricultural leaders, including Thompson. “Ben is humble but I want to echo my thanks. We need smart policy that is not driven by ideology because we need to be competitive,” said Thompson. “The biggest thing driving up food on the shelf right now is the carbon tax.”

Speaking for the Farm Finance committee, Rob Vandenhengel wished the carbon tax “would come off everything.” In particular, he mentioned the tax is an issue for commercial dryers and elevators but the bill does not cover them. “It would be great if there was an amendment in the senate to include them.”

Lobb wasn’t alone in being appreciated and praised. Thompson was thanked for increasing money to the Risk Management Program (RMP) by $50 million for an annual allocation of $150 million though it isn’t enough, said some. “The support for RMP is greatly appreciated but the cap does not let us respond to changing conditions,” said Harvey Hoggart, representing the Huron County Beef Producers.

Keith Black of the Huron Grain Farmers of Ontario said he was also thankful but pointed out that if all grain farmers were in a claim situation the amount would work out to only $500 a producer.

Thompson said the government is continuing work on how to “move

L

RMP forward” and that premiums were frozen for two years, which was beneficial to farmers.

Many agricultural issues were discussed at the meeting. Following are more highlights from the forum: Food Summit and Celebrating Being Farmers Thompson has just returned from the Ontario Food Summit to “create an informed food strategy” to shorten supply chains and fund more research and innovation. “Coming out of the pandemic, we came to realize there were a lot of vulnerabilities in the food chain,”, she admitted. Thompson also said it was high time farmers start beating their own drum and be proud of their contributions. Coming back from a trade mission to Vietnam, she was thrilled to see the faces of Ontario producers on products in the country.

“In Vietnam, it is about building relationships and trust and I think they do a better job telling our Ontario story than we do at home,” said Thompson. “We need to put our faces to work and amplify the pride we have as Ontario farmers. We are the breadbasket of Ontario and have so much to be proud of but we have work to do. Don’t be afraid to punch above your weight!”

Housing/Underused Housing Tax Lobb said the underused housing tax “is the goose egg of 2023.” He knows it has ticked off a lot of people and is glad the “government of the day” allowed for an extension. “I’ve had many calls from Huron-Bruce farmers on this issue and that accountants are charging $700 to $1,000 per document. I’m not here to criticize accountants but it is unacceptable that the Canada Revenue Agency has done this.”

Lobb said the original intent of the tax was to crack down on people who own 5-6 properties in places like Vancouver as a hedge or investment and let them sit empty. “Then it went down the country roads to farmers who have incorporated their businesses.”

Housing in general was discussed at the meeting as some leaders expressed concern that it is eating up valuable farmland while others wished housing was moving up May 2023 33

instead of out. Thompson said new housing is vital to make space for people to fill the labour market. She praised Huron County Council for identifying settlement areas and their smart land use planning. She recognized that people are resistant to high condos and said people need to be educated about the need to grow up instead of out.

Lobb agreed. “Just in Goderich, a six-story condo was slated to be built at the former McGee car dealership and now it’s just dirt with a fence,” he said. “That would be a prime place to add small urban density and it’s not being done.”

Sandra Weber, the Director of Planning and Development for Huron County said the county’s definitely in agreement with these lines of thought and is reviewing planning documents to “allow higher density in urban settlement areas to protect prime agricultural land.” The county has also recognized the need for more farm family and farm labour housing.

Supporting Large Animal Vets Hoggart said beef farmers are pleased with support from Thompson to increase funding to train and attract large animal veterinarians to remote, rural and indigenous areas with a $5 million Veterinary Incentive Program. “We are getting critically low in terms of largeanimal vets,” said Thompson. The funding will create a total of 80 new positions. Moreover, a review of the veterinarian act is being undertaken which could respond to urging from vet technicians to expand their practice, explained Thompson.

Lobb said the government should also be lessening restrictions for international veterinarians looking to set up practice in Ontario. “The run around they get…I don’t see why they would want to come to Canada,” lamented Lobb. “This should be a no-brainer and we need to get that fixed.”

Trade For years, Lobb has touted trade as an opportunity for Ontario farmers. He had a different tune at this meeting and admitted that trade deals signed with European countries have “not panned out well for everyone.” He felt it’s time “to 34 The Rural Voice

hammer away” at getting fair trade deals.

Equality with the United States was an ask from the beef producers in terms of harmonizing livestock transportation rules and rules surrounding Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).

Value-Added As some farm leaders argued for increased funding for various programs, Thompson reminded everyone that they also have a responsibility to develop value-added programs for their own products.

“When we had surplus milk in the Dairy Goat Cooperative, we made cheese to sell at higher value and get our money back,” said Thompson.

“This is the kind of conversation we need to bring to the table. As farmers, you are sophisticated and innovative…how can we drive value into that food chain,” she asked.

Animal Health Issues (BSE, AFS, AI) Beef farmers are concerned about BSE; hog farmers about African Swine Fever (ASF) and chicken farmers about Avian Influenza (AI).

Rightly so, as each disease can decimate herds/flocks and close borders. Brian Miller said avian influenza “is the issue of the day” for egg farmers and credited Huron County egg producers for their attention to biosecurity. He thanked

Thompson for providing education on the issue to the industry.

Chicken Farmers of Ontario representative, Ralph DeWeerd, said they are encouraging small flock producers to register at familyfoodgrowers.ca to be included in any avian influenza response that does occur. “Biosecurity is an important part of the industry,” he said. Thompson said she admired how the feather industry comes together for emergency preparedness and has amazing leadership.

Van Raay said ASF has decimated hog production in many countries and said Ontario Pork is making plans for dry runs if it happens in Ontario. “Basically, if the U.S. coughs, we get the flu,” said Van Raay. He wants to see more defined rules whereby if one herd gets ASF, the whole industry doesn’t have to suffer for it.

Labour Several agricultural leaders commented on the difficulties finding labourers to work on farms. Lobb said there is a shortage everywhere in terms of labour. “We should be rolling out the red carpet for people who want to come here and provide value, pay taxes and pay into our communities,” said Lobb. “We should offer them an invite as Canadians and encourage them to become true Canadian citizens.” ◊

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May 2023 35

Equine

Horses love to earn their keep Flossie is never happier than when working at wedding or events, pulling wagons, carriages or sleighs

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• By Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot •

lossie is a 14-year-old Percheron who had to use her muscles to haul a family of eight through a snowcovered meadow at a recent family day event. By the time she was done, she was breathing heavily and sweating…but she loved it.

“She’s a heavy horse – a work horse – and is most happy when she has a purpose and gets to work,” explains

Kayla Lowry (above on wagon) owns and operates KCL Carriage, a business offering horse‐drawn carriage and wagon rides such as this event for Family Day in February when Flossie (right) worked hard pulling families in the wagon.

36 The Rural Voice

Kayla Lowry, owner and operator of KCL Carriage, a new business offering horse and carriage services for weddings, events and families. “Flossie is like a big teddy bear and has a heart of gold. She loves to work, which is what she was bred to do and is happiest when working.”

Social media has been harsh on carriage companies that keep horses on their feet all day, hauling tourists around cities in all kinds of weather. Lowry knows all about it. She used to work in Banff, which is where she learned to drive a horse and carriage. “We ran horses on four to six hour shifts depending on the heat of the day. We learned to listen to the horses. If they dropped their heads and walked slower, that says they are getting tired so we gave them a break or switched them out.”

Her business is nothing like that. Part-time with elements of hobby to it, Lowry exercises her horses during the week as most of the business comes on the weekends.

Weddings are her main source of income so she has a white, romantic wedding carriage along with a sleigh and wooden wagon which are pulled by Flossie, the Percheron, or Beauty, an 18-year-old Clyde/Hackney Pony cross.

Katie is a two-year-old Percheron who will go for training in spring but likely won’t drive until she is four years old.

Kayla is eager to have a team so when Katie is ready, she and Flossie will be her team.

Lowry has been a horse-lover her entire life and grew up riding western. When she married in 2018 and moved to the dairy farm, she built a horse barn with the goal of launching into agritourism. She grew up with that mode as her mom and dad hosted sheep shows. “They were always touring people around the farm,” she remembers. Her dad continues to be her strongest supporter, and comes to all her events to drive the wagon/carriage/ sleighs while Kayla works with the people, organizing the drive and helping people in and out of the carriage.

Every event requires two trucks and trailers…one for the carriage and one for the horses.

“I drag my family into everything I do,” jokes Kayla.

“But my dad is also really good with horses and I like having two people at an event

because you never know what can happen. Plus, my dad really enjoys it.”

Kayla treats her business professionally and wishes it could be full-time but realizes the limitation of her location. She also recognizes that hiring a horse-drawn carriage isn’t for everyone as an experience, or even affordability. It’s expensive, but so is the upkeep of feeding three horses along with their housing and veterinarian bills.

Working with horses is her joy, as is providing a carriage service to the public, “I really strive to make every event special for the people.

We customize to suit their needs and are open to their ideas and suggestions.” ◊ Weddings make up a majority of the business for KCL Carriage based in Amberley but sleigh and wagon rides are popular too. Kayla’s dad, Kevin Bishop, is an integral part of the business for support and as a driver, seen below.

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May 2023 37

Conservation

Healthy soil is its own reward, says speaker

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soil floats down the river, blows off the field or when andowners are facing increasing pressure to both organic matter measures less than two per cent. grow food and be environmentally conscious about “I don’t think anyone wants to be labeled a guru for the land they farm. their soil health advocacy…it’s really a financial thing,” It’s called stewardship and Rick Kootstra shared how he Kootstra says. embraces that term on his Vanastra-area farm at the Rural Heavy rain events are becoming increasingly worrisome Landowner Workshop held in Mitchell, March 23. for the erosion they create but Kootstra says in a strip-tilled “Farmers, in my opinion, need to have a lead or constabulary when it comes to conservation and the provincial conservation authorities are well-equipped to do that,” said Kootstra. “What I have done over the last four to five years is make good working relationships with these folks to plant trees, berms, wetlands and work with the Huronview Demonstration Farm.” Kootstra land butts onto the Huronview demo farm.

Kootstra said people often blame farmers for food prices and environmental issues and rather than fighting that, it’s better to do something about it.

“We are stewards of the land; we have Conservation Authorities (CA) and if we pair together, it will go a long way to making Ontario a better place.”

One of the top strategies Kootstra employs on his farm is Rick Kootstra believes he is a steward of the land strip tillage. He uses 5-6,000 and that his goal of saving and creating good soil is tonnes of manure in his a life purpose. He uses strip‐tillage and cover crops operation from the farm’s layer and broiler barns admitting (above) to keep the soil covered and plants directly “some of the things I do smell into cover crops. Kootstra shared his conservation nice and some things do not smell so nice.” All fields strategies at the Rural Landowner Workship held receive manure at least once in Mitchell on March 23.

Rick Kootstra every three years.

Strip tillage and cover cropping were ramped up in 2012. While he is a fan of no-tillage, Koostra said in a colder climate, a little tillage “gets the ground warmed up yet keeps all the benefits of a solid no-till system.” He says it’s one of his best stories to tell but he finds it hard to convince other farmers. “I wish I had started the process 10 years sooner than I did,” though he acknowledges equipment needed for the process wasn’t readily available back then. He uses a Soil Warrior now.

Soil health is the basis of Kootstra’s crop strategies which he says is in everyone’s best interest. With the price of land reaching $40,000 an acre, it costs a fortune to buy a neighbour’s farm and doesn’t make economic sense when • By Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot •

Healthy soil is its own reward says Rick Kootstra who has partnered with conservation authorities to pair farming with ecology.

38 The Rural Voice

field, “it can rain all it wants.” The soil is protected and able to absorb the volume of water. “The next day you can walk in those fields.”

Cover crops aid in that as well.

They are vital for erosion protection, nutrient retention and biological weed control, said Kootstra. “A good example is fleabane. One plant has over 250,000 seeds and turns out cereal rye and fleabane don’t like each other. I don’t know the science but if you plant cereal rye, fleabane won’t grow. That’s pretty cool stuff.”

Kootstra also likes to direct seed soybeans into a corn stover/cereal rye cover crop. He said you get lots of rye and no weeds in that field. The rye is then killed with RoundUp which provides a good kill of rye and weeds, as the weeds do not have time to advance in the cover crop. Don’t worry about the corn trash, he advises.

“The worms and microorganisms will eat it. They are hungry too.”

Testing for organic matter (OM) helps Kootstra understand his soil and where cover crops are especially vital. He tested soil in an area where he is creating a wetland (original dirt) and it tests 8.5 per cent for OM. Other fields (cropped) tested at 3.8, 4.4 and 6.3. “If you can farm between four and six per cent OM, you have less problems with disease and less problems with weed control.”

Kootstra shared a quote from Bieber Faerber that goes something like this: “Just as our skin does not like to be poked, scratched, cut, ground, squashed, burned, left cold and naked, beat up (even with raindrops) then left to sunburn… neither do our soils.” He was very much concerned about personal philosophy as well as offering practical advice, adding that “my job as a farmer is to be a steward of that land to do the best we can.” He believes the soil will reward him at the end of his career. Even if it doesn’t cover all his investments with cash, Kootstra said he will “rest easy” knowing he did not let it float down the river or destroy it.

“I want to celebrate my career and be happy to farm. In fact, we are very lucky to be farmers in this whole, wide world,” he concluded. ◊

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Recipes by Carolyn Crawford

Ready for spring and ready for rhubarb!

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s I write this column, there are still some patches of snow and ice on the ground. In some of the sunnier spots, the grass is greening underneath the dormant remains of last fall. Some of the early spring varieties of trees and bushes here in Peel County are starting to bud. This can only mean that our rhubarb patch will soon be starting to crown—breaking the earthly surface with its red candy-like looking shoots.

We have always loved rhubarb in our family. My mother always claimed that rhubarb was nature’s spring tonic. If you have ever eaten too much stewed rhubarb in one sitting, you know what she was talking about! Rhubarb is rich in Vitamin C too. After a chilly winter, rhubarb is one of the first ‘fruits’ to be harvested. More accurately a vegetable, rhubarb is a member of the buckwheat family that British Columbia Food History Network says was “brought to Canada by early fur traders and carried across the country by Hudson’s Bay Company employees.” Many farms and urban backyards across Canada can boast of one or more rhubarb patches. One of the oldest Rhubarb can be cooked fresh or varieties still in cultivation is “Victoria Rhubarb”. Named after from frozen into delicious desserts Queen Victoria in 1837 when it was such as Strawberry Rhubarb Pie created by a British nurseryman, (above), Rhubarb Lunar Cake Joseph Myatt, it is more green than (right) or made into rhubarb jam for red in colour, and I suspect that tarts (below). Rhubarb pairs well many an Ontario farm has this with orange juice, cinnamon and variety.

While stewed rhubarb is a fast ginger as well as fruits like and easy thing to make, there are strawberries, apples or peaches. many variations of it. One can add orange juice or zest, pineapple juice, cinnamon or ginger, or another fruit such as strawberries, apples, or peaches. You can make it as sour or sweet as you like with brown or white sugar, maple syrup, honey, or artificial sweetener. Thickness can be controlled by how much liquid you put in the pot. It can be made from fresh or frozen fruit. When preparing rhubarb for the freezer, fresh pieces can be frozen without any cooking or blanching beforehand.

Rhubarb has been dubbed “the pie plant” for a reason. Many delicious pie recipes can be found in Canada’s earlier cookbooks and in the cookbooks from Britain that found their way here.

This Strawberry Rhubarb Pie recipe is from Featuring Fruit, a 4-H Homemaking Club Members’ Pamphlet published in the early 60s.

40 The Rural Voice

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Ingredients: 2 cups strawberries 2 cups rhubarb ¾ cup sugar 4 tbsp. flour Pinch of salt 2 tbsp. butter Pastry for 2-crust 9” pie Make pastry.

Directions: Wash and hull strawberries.

Wash, trim, and cut rhubarb in ½“ pieces. Combine sugar, flour, and salt; add to fruit and toss lightly together.Roll crusts and prepare pie for oven.

Dot filling with butter before placing the top crust.

Bake in a hot oven, 425°F for 10 minutes, reduce temperature to 350°F and continue to bake 30 to 40 minutes longer or until the fruit is done and the crust nicely browned.

Note: Frozen fruits may be used.

Use 1½ cups each of thawed drained strawberries and rhubarb (frozen without sugar). If fruit is frozen with sugar, reduce sugar in the recipe by half. Juice may be used to flavour a fruit drink. n even older recipe for Rhubarb Pudding comes from Common Sense in the Household: A Manual of Practical Housewifery by Marion Harland published 1886 by the Rose Publishing Company in Toronto.

Like many old recipes of its time, it gives basic ingredients and not quantities. But I think you can judge from the size of the pudding bowl (or casserole would work nicely) that you use. The bracketed instructions are my own suggestions. I left the old terminology in for fun!

Rhubarb Pudding Prepare the stalks as for pies; cover the bottom of a buttered pudding-dish with slices of bread and butter (I would assume both sides of the bread); cover with rhubarb cut into short (½-inch) pieces; sprinkle abundantly with sugar (white or brown-adding cinnamon might be nice); then put another layer of bread and butter and so on until your dish is full. Cover and steam, while baking for half an hour. Remove the lid and bake ten minutes, or until browned.

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Eat with a hot sauce.

There is a pudding sauce “suggested for bread and other simple puddings” also in the same cookbook: Milk Pudding Sauce Ingredients: 2 eggs, beaten stiff 1 large cup of sugar (white) 5 tablespoonfuls boiling milk ½ teaspoonful arrow-root or cornstarch, wet with cold milk (just enough to make it dissolved into a liquid) 1 teaspoonful nutmeg or mace (your preference but I would use ½) 1 tablespoonful butter Directions: Rub the butter into the sugar, add the beaten eggs, and work all to a creamy froth. Wet the corn-starch and put in next with the spice— finally pour in by the spoonful the boiling milk, beating well all the time. Set within a saucepan of boiling water (double boiler or bainmarie) for five minutes, stirring all the while, but do not let the sauce boil. his next recipe Heavenly Rhubarb Jam is a 20th century oldie and a goodie. It is not an up-to-date canning method, but I have adapted it to use it for a jam tart filling. The original recipe says five cups of rhubarb, but I find it too thick and rich, so I add more rhubarb. It is a smaller portion and I just keep the jars of it in the fridge to have on hand or with toast. It is as heavenly as its title and does not last long; meaning it is enjoyed so quickly it does not have time to spoil!

Heavenly Rhubarb Jam for Tarts Ingredients: 5-7 cups chopped rhubarb 5 cups granulated sugar 1 can crushed pineapple, well drained 1 large or 2 small strawberry Jell-O Directions: Mix rhubarb, drained pineapple, and sugar in a saucepan. Slowly cook on medium low heat until sugar is dissolved, and mixture starts to bubble. Stir to avoid scorching and turn it down if it boils too hard.

Remove from heat and stir in a package of Jell-O. Pour into jars. Let cool. Put on lids and store in the refrigerator. This recipe is not shelf

T

stable; you must refrigerate!

For tarts: Line tart tins with pastry. Spoon in jam to half to three quarters fill your unbaked tart shells.

Bake 5 minutes at 450°F then turn down oven to 350°F and bake until pastry is slightly browned about 15 minutes. The trick is to watch your oven so that you remove the tarts before the jam boils over. ack about 30 years ago when my children were small, I belonged to a group of mothers in our farming community that took turns hosting what we called our coffee club. One of our members made a Rhubarb Lunar Cake for one of our get-togethers.

Even today, my family loves when I make this in the spring. The topping, when baked, creates “craters” when the slightly caramelized brown sugar sinks to the bottom. Best if kept refrigerated after serving. Tastes great, warmed and served with vanilla ice cream.

Rhubarb Lunar Cake Ingredients: ½ cup shortening ½ cup granulated sugar 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla 2 cups flour ½ tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 1 cup buttermilk 2 ¼ cups chopped rhubarb cut into ½” pieces 1 tbsp. flour Topping ¼ cup butter 1 cup brown sugar 2 tsp. cinnamon Directions: In medium sized batter bowl, cream sugar and shortening together, then beat in egg and vanilla. In separate bowl, mix flour, salt, and soda. Slowly alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk into creamed mixture. Mix until well blended. Stir one tbsp. flour into rhubarb and stir into batter. Pour batter into a 9”x13” greased pan. For topping: cream butter and brown sugar together and stir in cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the top. Bake for approximately 30 minutes at 350°F or until evenly browned and cake portion is springy to the touch. ◊

B

May 2023 41

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

A trio of beans for the vegetable garden It is this time of year that is one of the most exciting for me. Things are popping in the garden, birds are singing up a storm and the weather is nice enough to work outside without the heavy gear and still be cool enough to make it pleasant. For many ambitious and energetic vegetable gardeners seeds are ready to be put outside to be hardened off and then into the ground. In some cases the peas and lettuce are up and radishes are breaking ground for the next wave of seeds.

We have three raised gardens, each a modest three feet by eight. It is just the right height for local rabbits to see it as a buffet for them.

They enjoyed the climbing and bush beans, lettuce, and even the kale!

They passed on the tomatoes, thank heavens, and kept a wide berth on the rosemary and rhubarb patch. We never saw the carrots. As soon as the wee sprigs could be counted they were gone.

We were not overly concerned as we don’t mind sharing a bit of the garden with the creatures, but we think the sharing should be more of a 70/30 arrangement for us instead of the other way!

This year we are hoping to close the buffet. We are going to try chicken wire around the outside. We will be fastening it to the bottom by stapling the fencing to a long 1x3 inch piece of wood and screwing that to the outside of the raised bed. The corners will be secured to the upright posts. Sounds pretty solid but those rabbits are pretty clever. Our neighbor had a lovely wee fence around her veggie garden and the rabbits simply dug under it.

Next comes seed selection! When 42 The Rural Voice

looking over seed catalogues or standing in front of walls of seed displays it is overwhelming. I just want to grab a bit of everything and go at it. But if years of experience have taught me anything, a bit of hesitation and a sober second thought saves both money and killing seeds.

This advice is way too late for those of you who order in the winter!

While I like beets and carrots they don’t seem to do overly well for me.

So I am taking a break from them and supporting local growers instead.

Corn and potatoes take up a lot of room in my little garden and again I can support local.

We will concentrate on a couple of interesting beans. I have always loved Royal Burgundy bush beans. I was first introduced to those in the 1980s. What a delicious treat and the burgundy colour changes to bright green when cooked and fascinates children. Since they do well in cool soil you can start these seeds earlier than other beans. As with any seeds, follow the directions for seed depth etc. on the package. Or if gifted and not sure, conversation over a cup of tea solves that.

On the opposite end of the colour spectrum are the yellow wax bush beans. Tender and sweet and we love

hauling them from the freezer in the dead of winter. It is hard to pick a favourite as they are all tender and sweet. Something I learned that my wise vegetable gardeners already know, dark-coloured seeds germinate better in cool soil than white seeds.

The nice thing about bush beans is they have a short harvest period making them perfect for successive sowings every two weeks until mid summer. And you can pick them a tad early and start enjoying them sooner.

The third bean we are going to try will be an heirloom variety, Rattle Snake. I was given seeds from a neighbour and we are setting up some trellis lines off the south end of the deck where we can enjoy their beautiful purple blooms, and green and purple mottled beans up close.

These are stringless pole beans, very flavourful and can be used as a snap, shell or dried bean.

If I thought of it I would pre soak my beans for a couple of hours before planting. It is a confusing practice. Some recommend soaking to enable the hard shell to soften

Three raised beds provide vegetables from the backyard and beans are an easy vegetable to grow in little spaces.

making it easier for the new growth to push through. I found a second opinion that said the opposite.

Soaking can deprive oxygen from the embryos! So I think the compromise is to plant them in a well-moistened furrow.

The last note is about inoculants.

We are learning more and more about the microscopic bacteria and fungi in the soil that make soil healthy and fertile. The presence of rhizobium bacteria will help increase bean yields. It works with the plant to secure nitrogen from the air to use as fertilizer. Whether to use it I think depends on the health of your soil and how many beans you are growing. A healthy soil with compost will produce a good crop of beans. If you are growing, say, five pounds of seed you might want to consider inoculant to secure more nitrogen in the soil and boost production.

Of course a good dose of compost goes a long way in producing a productive garden. Ask a rabbit about that! ◊

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May 2023 43

Advice

• By Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot •

Women need to create healthy boundaries Maintain mental health is a practice of self-compassion, mindfulness and knowing when to take care of yourself

I

wish there had been a Women in America. Rural women struggle with primary and often sole support for Agriculture club when I went to mental health stress and fatigue, and the men who farm. They depend on school. These women are score higher than men on the their wives and Van Ewyk notes that networking and hearing from women perceived stress scale. in her work, it is often the woman leaders to prepare for their launch Part of that is not being who calls on behalf of her husband into the world of agriculture. recognized and appreciated for the when he needs help.

The Women in Agriculture at the work they do. Something Van Ewyk To combat all the above and University of Guelph was created in accidentally did herself. She had protect their mental health, women in 2018 and revived for in-person been talking with an Amish woman agriculture need to build resiliency. meetings in 2023. They recently and visited their farm, noting there Resiliency is described as the hosted a Networking Night featuring were 50 cows that needed to be capacity to recover from difficulties two keynote speakers and a panel milked by hand. She recalls stating or the ability to spring back into discussion on what it’s like to be a that was quite a lot of work for the shape/bounce back. “It’s like you’re woman in agriculture. woman’s husband and sons. “Well, I dribbling a flat basketball. It’s hard.

The night started off with a came as close to getting slapped as Resilience is learning to pump it up. question of identity by Lauren Van anyone ever did,” said Van Ewyk.

There are a number of ways to do Ewyk, a social worker and Turns out it was the wife and this, suggested Van Ewyk: agricultural mental health advocate. daughters who milked the cows. ● Practise self-compassion by We all have our “factual” identities, It’s an assumption that is played admitting it’s okay not to be perfect. she said. Most of the attendees were out over and over again on farms and Also, forgoing self-criticism and students and “students” would be when women aren’t recognized for saying “I’m a learner and I’m still their factual identities. However, part their work, much less appreciated for learning.” Consider how you talk to of our identity is also our state of it, it can lead to mental stress. yourself in comparison how you talk being, explained Van Ewyk.

Moreover, women tend to be the to others … often you would never “Our identity is not criticize a friend like you related to someone else, it criticize yourself. is our own,” said Van ● Creating healthy Ewyk, who is also a sheep boundaries. “Women are farmer in southwestern typically not good at Ontario as well as the setting boundaries. We founding member and will give and give until CEO of the National there is nothing left to Farmers Mental Health give.”

Alliance. Women often ● Mindfulness or identify as their husband’s “paying attention on partner or their children’s purpose” to calm the mind mother but Van Ewyk said and spirit and reduce it is important to anxiety. remember that each person I was the other has a special plan and speaker. As a farm purpose for their life, that journalist, I have the they are precious and they privilege of interviewing can contribute. many successful farm She believes it is an women each year. As I important message shared their stories, I noted because research indicates the thread of courage and 41 per cent of rural women Lauren Van Ewyk, a social worker and agricultural mental adaptation that runs through are depressed and anxious health advocate spoke at the Women in Agriculture club at their experiences and leads to which is over double their the University of Guelph about the need for identity, entrepreneurial success in urban counterparts in boundaries and self‐compassion. agriculture and rural 44 The Rural Voice

communities.

In terms of mental health, I shared how exercise has been fundamental in my life to manage stress, create energy and keep the human trifecta of mind, body and spirit in harmony.

Mental health providers have long touted exercise as a mental health tool and I heft it regularly, finding that more benefits are gleaned when exercise is combined with nature.

Walking by a river reminds us that life flows on. One can intentionally voice worries and stress beside a moving stream and visualize how they can be carried away, to be replaced by a fresh perspective from water coming to take its place.

Resting by trees and native plants, or getting one’s hands into soil connects the spirit to the fundamentals of life which is tremendously grounding while also simplifying what really matters. Gardening is an exercise that is calming, creative, joyful and purposeful.

Moreover, I shared that journaling is my primary mental health tool.

Each morning, I wake up, pull on a fluffy pink housecoat, make a cup of coffee and sit with a journal, my favourite pen and a sticker book. Call it an elementary-school-dopamine hit, but adding a nature sticker to my journal is a jolt of joy to kickstart the journaling process. Part unloading and part planning, journaling is a release/receiving mode of action that involves releasing and receiving. It clarifies the mind and aligns emotions with goals for the day.

As a writer, it makes sense that journaling would be an enjoyable and effective mental health tool for me. I told the students it didn’t have to be theirs, but I strongly encouraged them to find the tool that DOES allow one to release negative emotion and energy — to “see” what the mind is actually thinking and processing.

So often we don’t even recognize or identify what thoughts are spinning through our heads. Recognizing them allows us to discard the negativity and reframe our thoughts into a positive.

These positive affirmations (write them down!), unleash more creative thoughts and move you toward your life-affirming purpose. ◊

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May 2023 45

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

Russia looking to control export revenues to finance its war machine The Black Sea shipping deal, which has allowed war time vessel shipments from the Ukraine, has been very successful in allowing grain to flow from Ukraine.

This agreement, originally signed in July 2022 for a 120-day term, was later renewed for another 120 days in mid-November 2022. As the expiry date loomed closer in mid-March of

this year, market watchers were anxious to see if the deal would be extended once more.

Russia continued to voice displeasure about the way the shipping deal was transacting.

Russia has stated over multiple occasions that the shipping deal was intended for humanitarian relief only, to which they accuse the west of violating. Moscow has also stated, that from their perspective, a continuation of the deal is also inappropriate with ongoing sanctions against Russian interests.

From this rhetoric the market was not certain that the shipping deal would be extended once more. An official announcement was not made until near to the expiration of the deal, when it was agreed that the shipping corridor would remain open and navigation would be protected.

This was welcome news to world buyers, who are glad to see continuance of grain from the region shipping to customers awaiting delivery.

Although the deal was extended,

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there is still confusion as to one important detail. That missing detail is the duration of the agreement. The prior timeframes of the deal have been for 120-day durations.

Ukrainian officials state that the most recent extension is for 120 days again, however Russia dismisses this timeframe. Russia maintains that the deal is for 60 day terms only, and extension is only if Russia has their demands met.

Recently large world grain traders have announced that they will no longer be dealing in the domestic Russian grain business. Remember, grain movement is not sanctioned from Russia, and therefore this policy change is not due to international rules forcing them to make this change. So what has caused this change? It is Russian policy. Russia is looking to take full control of their domestic grain business, and inclusive in this control is essentially taking ownership of the assets that were designed, built and owned by international investors. It’s not just the grain elevator assets that Russia wants – it is the export revenues to finance its war machine, and the political control over the nations that need to buy grain. It is recorded that Vladimir Lenin recognized that “grain is the currency of currencies.”

The more Russia controls wheat exports, the more their political power infiltrates over nations who will be forced to support Russia and their foreign policy, simply because of their irreplaceable need for grain – which Russia will control and supply.

This fear is not without precedence – Russia has used famine before to enforce political power over their opponents.

The Holodomor is the name given to the Ukrainian famine of 1932/1933, inflicted by the Soviet government of Stalin. During this famine, it has been estimated that 3.5-7 million people in Ukraine died of starvation – from the very bread basket of Europe!

In order to gain control over this vast region of production in Ukraine, the first step of the socialist Soviet authorities was to label those who opposed the collectivization (state

Markets ownership, rather than individual) of land to be enemies of the nation.

Initially the socialist government decreed a Five Year Plan – which collectivized agriculture to the state.

Upon completion of the removal of private ownership and individual choice, the state government controlled all movement of grain and all grain was therefore owned by the state for the collective use of the state, as the state dictated. The grower had no say in where the grain would be sold or marketed. This progressed the subjugation of the local producer, eventually leading to the decree of “Five Stalks of Grain.”

This decree affirmed that anyone (including children) that were caught taking any grain from a collective field could be shot or imprisoned for stealing socialist property. From here, the famine became grievous with brigades of people entitled “activists” who would ensure that the state received the grain rather than the peasant growers that the state intended to starve into subjection.

National grain buyers will keep this precedent in mind, as they deal with a more controlling Russia going forward. Unfortunately for many nations, there aren’t many other sources to originate wheat from.

Kansas was once considered the bread basket state to the world. This state traditionally grows 25 per cent of the U.S. winter wheat crop. This year, the crop is in very tough shape and therefore world buyers will potentially have limited access to U.S. origin hard red winter wheat.

Kansas is currently experiencing extreme drought. March precipitation has been 30 per cent of normal, marking it the 14th driest March in 129 years. Rain doesn’t seem to be entering into the long range forecast and ongoing heat is taking its toll on the crop every day.

There is of course hope that rains will come later in the season to provide a reasonable yield if they do materialize. It’s reported that many growers in the area aren’t going to wait to find out. Insurance adjusters have been active making insurance claims and some growers are grazing fields while there is opportunity for at least something. ◊

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May 2023 47

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

The problem with periwinkle When I worked in a nursery over 20 years ago, the term for invasive species was usually something more like “aggressive” or “fast growing”.

Looking back, I think we were quite relaxed with these nasty plants. We innocently sold many flats and pots of plants that are now on the invasive species list. My knowledge at the time was that these plants were easy to grow and made great groundcovers quickly. They were also very affordable. Easy to grow and affordable were usually good selling points.

I choose to believe that none of us selling these plants were aware of the potential impacts of spreading these species. There are many times in life where we are given a moment to think. For me, knowing what I know now, I would do everything I could to encourage people to plant less aggressive species. Having said that, periwinkle is still being sold in a few garden centers without any warning signs. I believe that consumers should be informed of a plant’s characteristics upon purchase, should the seller be aware of this information.

Some plants that are aggressive can be controlled with fixed edges, hard surfaces, planting with inground barriers (sunken pots), herbicides, repeated pruning, pulling, and more. Much of the information for this column is taken from the Ontario Invasive Plant Council publication, which is entitled Grow Me Instead, and the publication entitled A Guide to the Identification and Control of Exotic Invasive Species in Ontario’s Hardwood Forests, by Derickx and Antunes.

One of the plants that we dug from the field and sold by the flat 48 The Rural Voice

was periwinkle, which is also often referred to as myrtle, or vinca. A whole flat was sold for $5. European settlers brought periwinkle to Ontario in the 1700s. Periwinkle is an evergreen trailing vine. This plant doesn’t readily reproduce from seed – it reproduces mainly from rooting runners or bits of plant that have been broken off. Given that the plant does not produce seed regularly, its ability to spread is limited to the area in which it became established unless it has the assistance of another element which carries a piece of the plant to bare soil in a new location.

Once periwinkle has spread over an area, it is challenging to get all the roots because of all the intertwined runners. This evergreen, trailing vine outcompetes our native plants by smothering them out.

Periwinkle is pretty with its shiny, dark-green, leaves. It readily flowers, even in the shade of a dense forest. The flowers are blue or purple. On the farm where I grew up, periwinkle was well established underneath the lilac trees, and spread a little under our weeping willow tree. The grass around this area was always mown, and I do not recall any satellite patches. In an area like this, periwinkle seemed to be the only plant that would grow in the shade. I wonder if it was that, or if the periwinkle stopped the other plants from being successful. It is believed that periwinkle may have allelopathic abilities that aid in its success as much as smothering.

A great substitute for periwinkle is wild geranium, also known as cranesbill. This pretty plant will also grow and flower in shady conditions.

There are a few native plants that look similar to periwinkle. When trying to control invasives, it is important to be able to identify the species successfully. Creeping snowberry is another evergreen trailing plant with somewhat similarly shaped leaves. Wintergreen is another shiny leafed evergreen plant but it does not grow trailing vines. I find the leaves of wintergreen to be much denser than that of periwinkle. Common bearberry is listed to be similar to periwinkle and

is another trailing evergreen plant.

The flowers of bearberry are very different from periwinkle, and this plant does fruit regularly. The other plants listed include twinflower, wintercreeper, and partridge-berry.

All three of these native plants are also creeping or trailing evergreens.

If undertaking a removal of periwinkle, it is very important that all pieces of the plant be placed in black plastic bags and taken to the landfill. As this plant reproduces easily from any piece touching the soil, the removed plants must not be composted. If removal is being completed by pulling, it is important that all of the plant be removed so that it cannot root again. If removal is being completed by herbicide, its application should be in the fall. Care must be taken so that any native plants in the area are not sprayed as the hope is that they will recover the area.

Controlling or eliminating an invasive species typically takes many years and a lot of determination.

With periwinkle the control window isn’t as bad as others – success may be seen in two to five years.

While this plant may not be seen as a big deal compared to some of the other species on many invasive plant lists, it is one that I commonly see covering many acres of forest floor.

It is pretty but is not healthy for the forest and it limits diversity. ◊

Periwinkle is an invasive,evergreen vine that smothers native plants on the forest floor.

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May 2023 49

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

The dangers of insufficient depth of cover over pipelines At one time, oil and gas pipelines in Canada were installed with as little as two feet of depth of cover – maybe less. Although the minimum depth of cover required over new pipelines as set out in the applicable CSA Standard Z662 remains two feet, companies today routinely install pipelines with four feet depth of cover or more. However, a major deficiency in the depth of cover standard has been the absence of a requirement to maintain depth of cover over pipelines to any specified minimum. A pipeline may be sufficiently deep at installation to ensure the safety of those using the land above the line, but what if depth of cover erodes over time?

Thousands of kilometres of oil and gas pipelines run beneath agricultural land across Canada with ever larger and larger farm equipment tilling, planting, spraying, fertilizing and harvesting above.

Pipelines lying four feet or more beneath the surface may be unlikely to pose a risk of danger to agricultural operations above, but what of pipelines only two feet beneath the surface? What if the ground above a pipeline installed long ago with two feet depth of cover has eroded by water or wind or been displaced by decades of tillage?

In Ontario, the CSA standard for depth of cover has been modified by regulation to include the following requirements: 10.6.5.5 Operating companies shall develop written procedures for periodically determining the depth of cover for pipelines operated over 30 per cent of SMYS of the pipe at MOP. Such written procedures shall include a rationale for the frequency selected for such depth determinations. Where the depth of cover is found to be less than 60 cm in lands being used for agriculture, an engineering assessment shall be done in accordance with clause 3.3 and a suitable mitigation plan shall be

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developed and implemented to ensure the pipeline is adequately protected from hazards.

Where a pipeline company determines that the current depth of cover over a pipeline is less than 60 cm (2 feet), the company must perform an engineering assessment and develop a “suitable” mitigation plan to ensure the pipeline is adequately protected. The company is required to have written procedures for “periodically” determining the depth of cover over its pipelines.

What passes for “suitable” in a mitigation plan or “periodically” in monitoring depth of cover over pipelines is not prescribed by the CSA standard or the Ontario regulation.

Are the current requirements for monitoring depth of cover and addressing instances of insufficient depth of cover enough to protect those carrying out agricultural operations and other activities above pipelines? A recent incident suggests pipeline landowners may have cause for concern.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (“TSB”) has released a report of its investigation of an October, 2021 natural gas pipeline rupture in Manitoba caused when a farmer struck the line with a groundscraping blade. The strike happened in an agricultural field in a rural area in southwestern Manitoba near the Saskatchewan border. To the east of the pipeline that runs through the field, there is a drainage channel running almost perpendicularly to the pipeline. The channel crosses over the line and drains into a small marsh area. At the time of the strike, the farmer was pulling an 18-foot-wide landleveller/scraper with a large articulated four-wheel-drive tractor to scrape weeds and silt from the bottom of the drainage ditch. The blade was in a “flat position”, which has a maximum blade depth of just 26 cm (less than 2 feet) according to the manufacturer of the implement.

The farmer had carried out the same scraping process periodically for several decades prior to the pipeline strike. It was determined that, at the time of the strike, the ground-

Agrilaw scraping blade was penetrating the ground less than 12 cm (less than five inches).

The regulation in place at the time the pipeline was installed in 1960 required that it be buried to a depth of at least 61 cm. Obviously, the depth over the line had diminished considerably since the time of construction at least in the location of the strike. The company responsible for the pipeline conducts annual right-of-way inspections, but had not noted any unsafe conditions at the occurrence location. The last depth of cover survey conducted by the company was in 2009, with the closest identified issue being about 700 metres upstream of the occurrence location. The 2009 survey involved taking depth measurements at 25 m spacing generally, at 3 m spacing across sloughs, depressions or abrupt changes in elevation, and at all key features such as the bottom of ditches, drains and streams. The measurement taken closest to the site of the 2021 pipeline strike was 4.5 metres downstream of the site. As depth of cover at that location was 88 cm (approximately 2.9 feet), a more detailed assessment of the area was not triggered.

The TSB concluded that the October, 2021 pipeline strike and rupture was caused in part because the pipeline company did not identify that the depth of cover over its pipeline had been gradually reduced through the removal of weeds and silt from the drainage ditch over time.

The TSB warned that: “If a pipeline company’s damage prevention program does not consider variations in a pipeline’s depth of cover over time, depth of cover reductions may go unmitigated, increasing the risk of pipe damage due to agricultural activities.” ◊ ______________________________ 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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People • By Gary West •

C orn grower wins top yield award from Pride

F

ield-corn crops in the Oxford, Perth and Waterloo County areas have seen large production increases over the last number of years as area test plot yields will attest to.

Various seed companies closely monitor and validate yield challenges for crop growers to compare their yields to their neighbours.

Scott Dietrich and family from Dietview Farms north of Tavistock, in SouthEasthope township were winners for the second straight year, in the 20th annual “Pride Seeds” yield challenge contest.

His “Pride” test plot was the highest yielding in the area with 250.2 bushels per acre on a dried basis of 15.5 per cent moisture corn.

During a Pride customer appreciation BBQ and ceremony, the young corn grower was appreciative of the plaque presented to him by representatives of Pride Seeds and Trouw Nutrition.

Zenon Bender, technical sales adviser with the seed company, stated “last year’s growing season had adequate rainfall in the spring, followed by extreme dryness in July.

There was some moisture in areas during August, with beautiful harvest weather, and surprisingly higher than expected yields, given the lack of moisture in mid-summer”. He said the average wet corn received at their grain elevator on Line 29 (Sebastopol Road), was mostly around 25 per cent moisture with very low levels of vomitoxins.

Bender also said “it was great to see the area producers deliver the finished product to their elevator” where yields can be tracked by the load, by the field and by the county.

He said Mother Nature and weather are the most unpredictable determining factors as crop growers in the area prepare for another growing season in 2023. ◊

Scott Dietrich (middle) was presented a plaque for winning the Pride Seeds yield challenge contest. On hand for the occasion was (left to right) Olivia Noorenberghe, Zenon Bender, Scott Dietrich, Jim Witzel, and Brad Hallock.

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May 2023 53

People

• By Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot •

Putting the spotlight on mental health advocate Dustin Connell was given the Customer Spotlight Award by Farm Credit Canada for his work on mental health

F

or his commitment to agriculture and his involvement in creating The Farmer’s Toolbox, a mental health initiative, Dustin Connell of Palmerston was awarded the Customer Spotlight Award by Farm Credit Canada.

Along with his wife, Megan, he was given a trip to Ottawa where he met other agricultural leaders rewarded through FCC’s internal recognition program. Éva Larouche, FCC’s senior consultant in media relations said Connell was chosen for his involvement in mental health in agriculture. She explained the award is an internal program, where farmers are nominated by FCC staff and that the program is currently being revamped for next year.

For Connell, the award felt like recognition for the stuff farmers do every day. He says farmers don’t often get a pat on the back and receiving the honour was encouraging as well as rewarding.

Mental health has been an important issue for Connell since he went through depression and since recognizes that depression comes in waves.

Connell was just 21 when his father, Murray Connell, died and life changed. He left his job in construction and came back to the farm earlier than expected. “It worked out because farming is what I wanted to do.” In the busyness, grief was pushed back. Years later, the grief could not be suppressed and Connell could not get out of bed for two days.

“It hit me hard,” says Connell.

“Before it happened, I always thought people would snap out of it and carry on. But it’s not that easy.”

In years since, there have been other stressors. A difficult pregnancy and birth kept Megan in the hospital for four months and Connell felt the 54 The Rural Voice

Dustin Connell of Palmerston (middle) won the Customer Spotlight Award from Farm Credit Canada but says he could not have done it without his “team” consisting of Mom Rhea Connell (left), wife Megan Connell (middle) and his friend and employee, Neil Bott. worry of taking care of their two other children while trying to keep farming. Then, inflation and financial worries took a toll.

Connell says his family has been so supportive. “Megan is my number one supporter,” he says. Connell also marvels at the strength and support of his mother, Rhea, who continued farming after her husband passed. A succession plan had been in the works but no one expected Murray to die so young. Connell says his mom helped the family pick up the pieces, took over the chicken farm and supported Dustin in creating a custom farming operation with his friend and employee, Neil Bott.

Connell also raises beef cattle and cash crops 300 acres of his own. “I would not be here without all these people,” says Connell.

Along the way, Connell has sought financial advice from Lisa

Neves, a relationship manager at FCC’s Listowel office. “I bounce ideas off her and she knows my operation well.” He holds Neves in high esteem and says it was Neves who nominated him for the award.

“I was cleaning out the barn and she showed up in the middle of the barnyard and told me I won the award. I didn’t even know it was a thing,” says Connell.

Key to the nomination was Connell’s work with the Listowel Agricultural Society and its Farmer’s Toolbox, an online portal for farmers to access mental health in their community.

Connell says he wants to help farmers get through mental health challenges. “It is so important to talk about our mental health and important for us to show that we care,” says Connell. “It’s hard for farmers to do that.”

Connell has learned that in his own life, it is important to surround himself with positive people. “I have learned I need to take time to be with people I care about and take time off.

Take an afternoon off. It doesn’t have to be just on the weekends, it can be on a Monday or whatever.”

He believes in talking with counsellors and when he can, Connell likes to take time to listen to other people share their problems. “It can really put your own problems into perspective,” he says. ◊

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May 2023 55

People

• By Shawn Loughlin •

Aubrey Toll inducted into Clydesdale association’s hall of fame

Aubrey and Marie Toll pose with Robbie Bardrill Supreme in this 1986 photo taken at their Blyth farm. Aubrey was posthumously inducted into the Clydesdale Horse Association of Canada Hall of Fame for his work as a breeder, importer and exporter of registered Clydesdales.

The late Aubrey Toll of Blyth, who passed away in 2005, has been posthumously inducted into the Clydesdale Horse Association of Canada Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2022. Aubrey was widely known in North America and Scotland as a breeder, importer and exporter of Registered Clydesdales.

Toll is joined by three other inductees: Allan Gordeyko, Lloyd Langille and Frederick Wesley Dunn.

Below is most of a submission written by Vaughn Toll, Aubrey’s son,

56 The Rural Voice

for Canadian Clydesdale Contact 2023.

BY VAUGHN TOLL Submitted for the Clydesdale Horse Association of Canada 2022 Hall of Fame class “Aubrey Toll (1920-2005) was born into a farming family near Blyth, Ontario on March 19, 1920. He married Marie MacCrostie (19202015), an elementary teacher, in 1944.

They raised four children on the family farm: Cheryl, Vaughn, Kerry and Avon.

“Aubrey was a fourth generation Clydesdale breeder and showed his first horse, a foal at the Blyth Fall Fair at the age of seven. By the mid-1950s he was showing his own six-horse hitch at local shows. He and his father, Fred, took horses to the 1956 Royal Winter Show in Toronto. He won many prizes and made valuable connections with Clyde owners from all over Canada, the U.S. and Scotland.

“He imported his first Scottish horses in 1961 and from then until the early 70s, he imported more than 60 horses from Scotland. Among his many imports were the stallions, Torrs Benefactor, Dunsyre Silver King, Doura Ambassador and Collessie Royal Gift.

“In 1960, Aubrey trucked horses to the Brandon Winter Fair in Manitoba for the first time. Beginning in 1961, he participated for four successive summers in the Western “A” Circuit at Brandon, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Regina exhibitions, travelling with his family, two trucks, a wagon and up to 14 horses. During the 1960s, he attended up to 50 fairs each year.

“In 1962 he sold four of his Clydes to August A. Busch, company chairman of Anheuser-Busch Brewery. This exchange was the first of many horse deals between the two men. Aubrey estimated that Mr. Busch purchased over 70 Clydes from him over the years.

“Aubrey judged horses at some local fairs as well as the Calgary Stampede, Brandon Winter Fair, Halifax Exhibition, the National Clyde Show at Waterloo, Iowa and the stallion classes at the Royal Highland Show in Scotland.

“In 1986, he was contacted by Ted Nugent’s farm manager at Timberwood Farms in Michigan whereupon Aubrey purchased 17 of their horses. In this group were Greendykes Golden Arrow, Doura Marquis and several Collessie-bred mares. The best horse was Maplewood Glen Rose which he sold to David and Wilma Cleghorn of Guelph; she was David’s favourite and best producing mare.

“He trucked his horses in a simple stock truck; always shod his own

horses; taught many the art of tying tails and rolling manes and drove his own hitches.

“His wife, Marie, was his mainstay over the years by keeping things going at home while he was on the road.

She made hundreds of crepe paper mane flowers, washed yards of white, cheesecloth mane rolls and organized the articles that preserved the stories of Aubrey’s many adventures.

“He was meticulous about how his horses were prepared and was adamant that their feet and legs were washed with warm water. At the end of the day, he liked nothing better than to sit on the tack box in the horse barn while negotiating a deal with a fellow Clyde owner.

“Aubrey died on July 21, 2005 at 85, leaving a rich legacy of love, loyalty and knowledge of the Clydesdale breed which he generously imparted to many including the fifth and sixth generations of Clyde breeders among his descendants on the home farm. He would be proud to know that his son and grandsons are continuing the family tradition of breeding and exhibiting his beloved Clydes.

“There have been many dedicated horsemen over the years who kept the horse business going when there wasn’t much reason to do so….

Aubrey was one of them.”

The Clydesdale Horse Association of Canada Hall of Fame Committee was founded in 2020 “to recognize those Canadian Clydesdale breeders whose decision-making and hard work have developed the Canadian Clydesdale into a highly esteemed breed.”

Toll was the only person from Ontario in the 2022 class and just the second Ontarian ever to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. ◊

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58 The Rural Voice

PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT CROP ADVISORY SERVICES NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PLANNING Mervyn Erb CPCC-I, T.Ag, CCA, 4R NMS, Cert. NMPD Brucefield, ON 519-233-7100

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BRUCEFIELD, ON N0M 1J0 BUS: 519-233-7100 FAX: 519-233-3444 MOBILE: 519-274-2929 EMAIL: erb@cropadvisory.com www.CropAdvisory.com MEMBERS: NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF INDEPENDENT CROP CONSULTANTS ONTARIO INSTITUTE OF AGROLOGISTS

People

• By Shawn Loughlin •

Oudshoorn becomes provincial Junior Farmer president

T

he Junior Farmers of Ontario have elected Jolande Oudshoorn of the Auburn area as their 80th president. This comes exactly 20 years since the last Huron County resident, Mary Feldskov, was president of the provincial organization.

Oudshoorn was nominated anonymously for the position (nominations can come from clubs throughout the province as well as members of the executive, but they are kept a secret) and let her name stand, after spending the last year as a member of the executive, serving as the provincial group’s director of finance. However, her election was not a slam dunk, as she was opposed by a member of the Oxford County Junior Farmers, triggering a proper election.

In an interview with The Citizen, Oudshoorn said there was a questionand-answer period with the two candidates and she was quite nervous.

She went into the evening prepared to let her name stand for president and, ultimately, take on the job if the membership was willing. However, she felt her nerves strike during that portion of the proceedings.

Nevertheless, she was pleased that she “didn’t blank” when answering questions, which she admits is something that’s happened to her before.

However, her nerves didn’t stop her and she was elected to the position.

She said it was thrilling and surprising to hear her name called and she’s looking forward to the one-year term ahead.

To prepare for the heightened level of responsibility, Oudshoorn says she’s stepped away from certain highlevel responsibilities in her home club, the Huron-Perth Junior Farmers, in addition to some other boards and committees on which, until recently, she had served.

She says the position will essentially be a two-year commitment, first as the president and then as the pastpresident, both of which she’s ready to tackle head-on.

Oudshoorn said she has a bit of an idea about what awaits her thanks to her year as the director of finance. She knows there are a lot of internal and

The Junior Farmers’ Association of Ontario presidency wasn’t the only thing passed on as the organization elected its new executive in late March, so too was Gordie the bear handed off. The legend goes that Gordie is meant to assist the current president in not losing the historical president’s pin, so Huron‐ Perth's Jolande Oudshoorn, left, is now the keeper of the bear, handed over to her by now Past‐President Jamie Schultz. ~Photo courtesy of Doug van Wolde administrative tasks, but she hopes to delegate some things and get as many people involved as possible.

According to the Junior Farmers Association of Ontario website, Oudshoorn is just the third Huron County resident to serve as the provincial president, after Mary Feldskov in 2003 and Jim Phelan in 1979. There have been two presidents since 1944 from Perth County: Claire Belluz in 1972 and Paul A. Nairn in 1991.

She has succeeded Jamie Schultz of Renfrew County, the 2022 president.

The process included the traditional passing on of Gordie, the iconic stuffed bear that is given from president to president that is said to be done to keep the current president from losing the historical president’s pin.

This continues an impressive run in the Junior Farmers organization for Oudshoorn, who has steadily risen up

the ranks since joining in 2019 as part of a natural progression from her extensive 4-H involvement, from which she aged out, but stayed on as a leader.

At the end of her first year with the Huron-Perth Junior Farmers, 2019, she was elected vice-president. In 2020, she won the Junior Farmers Association of Ontario Novice Outstanding Member Award for 2019, one of the association’s President’s Rose Awards.

The next year, Oudshoorn and Lauren Bos, her fellow Huron Perth Junior Farmers member and Auburnarea resident, were named co-winners of the association’s President’s Rose Award for Most Outstanding Current Member. It was the first time that two members had been awarded in the same year. In that same year, the local club was named Agriculture Club of the Year for its “Who Let The Hogs Out?” fundraiser. ◊

May 2023 59

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

DL Distributing Dave Mustard 519-794-3334 Authorized Dealer

Full service to all boats and marine engines

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Marine & Small Engines Inc.

33973 Church Camp Rd., Goderich 519-524-5361 Email: argylemarine@cabletv.on.ca

Non-GMO & Organic Seed sales, seed cleaning, drying & licensed truck scale A complete line of nutritionally balanced Non-GMO feeds Leadership in energy and environmental design

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

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Roasted soybean sales and custom roasting

Steven: P/F: 519-363-0152 Jeffery: P: 519-363-5933

KRAEMER CONCRETE LTD. Two Locations to Serve You!

5595 Road 130 Brunner N0K 1C0

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

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

REAL ESTATE

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“Welcome to connect with me anytime”

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

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May 2023 61

C E N T R E

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32,500 00 2021 To 00 2018 018 Ford F150 ext. cab, 4x4, 154,000 km...................$32 Toyota Rav 4 AWD, 35,000 km.......................$35,900 $ $ 00 2018 995 2018 018 Ford F150 crew cab, 4x4, 167,000 km................. 37,500 018 Jee eep Cherokee ee Comp mpass ss 4x4, 95,000 km . 27,99 $ $ 00 201 995 2016 016 Chev Colorado ado 160,000 km ............................... 16,500 017 Jee eep Wrangler Sport rt 4x4, 105,000 km ..... 27,99 $ $ 21,99 995 2016 22,99 995 201 015 Ram quad cab, 4x4, 184,000 km ............................ 21 016 Hyunda dai ST FE Sport rt AWD, 100,000 km .. 22 995 201 19,99 995 2003 003 Dodge odge Ram crew cab, 4x4, 450,000 km.............$16,99 015 Ford Es Esca cape Tit itani nium AWD, 137,000 km ...$19 $ 19,99 995 201 015 Honda da CRV AWD, 174,000 km ........................ 19 $ 00 201 015 Ford Es Esca cape AWD, 117,000 km...................... 17,500 $ $ 12,99 995 013 Ford Es Esca cape FWD, 161,000 km...................... 12 19,500 00 2013 201 017 Dodge odge Grand Caravan 95,000 km . . . . . . . . 19 995 2013 201 012 Dodge odge Grand Caravan 226,000 km . . . . . . . . .$6,99 995 013 Ford Es Esca cape AWD, 157,000 km......................$15,99 $ 995 2013 013 Ford Expl plorer AWD, 164,000 km................... 17,99 $ 00 2010 010 Rav 4 AWD, 242,000 km ..................................... 10,500 $ 995 009 Jee eep Wrangler 210,000 km ............................ 10,99 21,99 995 2009 201 015 Cad adill illac ac ATS AWD, 105,000 km . . . . . . . . . . . .$21

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

-------------------------------------------CUSTOM WORK -------------------------------------------Custom stone picking. Let us harvest rocks so you can harvest crops. Serving Grey, Bruce, Dufferin and Wellington counties.

Call Brendan Martin 519-503-1101. brendan.martin870@gmail.com 03-3W -------------------------------------------DAIRY -------------------------------------------Screened bedding sand, delivered.

Call 519-625-8242 or 519-2741490.

-------------------------------------------FARM EQUIPMENT -------------------------------------------New Idea no-till corn/bean planter 6-30" or 11-15" rows, liquid fertilizer, brush kit for soys and two sets of seed plates, options for edible beans and sunflowers. 519395-0889.

05-1W -------------------------------------------FOR SALE -------------------------------------------Rebuilt water pumping windmills Beatty, Aermotor, etc., parts, repairs and sales. Towers wanted.

519-357-3621.

04-2W -----------------------------------------Rosco grain bins for sale – 19' and 14' diameter. Parts available. Used grain bins wanted for parts or reuse. Closed Sundays, 519-3383920.

-------------------------------------------For prices on forage peas, forage pea mixtures, barley, oats, spring wheat and mixed grain seed.

Contact Courtney Grain & Seed (2015) Ltd., 225 Hwy. 21, RR 1, Ripley. Phone 519-395-2972. Ask for Carmon or Mitch.

--------------------------------------------

FOR SALE -------------------------------------------Maple syrup sold in 1 Litre glass jars, $15 per litre or $160 per case of 12.

Don Morden, Rothsay, 519-6382525.

04-2W -------------------------------------------Alfalfa hay mixtures, pasture mixtures, top dressing for pastures, and a selection of organic grass seeds. All mixed to your personal needs. Also red clover for plowdown. Available at Courtney Grain & Seed (2015) Ltd., 225 Hwy. 21, RR 1, Ripley. Phone 519-3952972. Ask for Carmon or Mitch.

-------------------------------------------Soybean seed for sale – Altitude R2, Beliveau R2X and Ramage XF Roundup Ready varieties.

Treatments and inoculants available. Call Mitch at Courtney Grain & Seed (2015) Ltd. 519-4406712.

-------------------------------------------Farm buildings, homes, cottages repaired, remodelled, restored and jacked up. Also roofing, siding, doors, windows, cement work, foundations, piers, framework, decks, doors, fencing, beams, eavestroughing repaired, replaced or installed. Brian McCurdy, 519375-0958/519-986-1781. 04-6W -------------------------------------------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 -------------------------------------------LIMOUSIN breeding bulls, quiet, thick, semen tested, guaranteed breeders, delivery included.

Posthaven Limousin, John Post, 519-766-7178. www.posthaven limousin.com 05-W -------------------------------------------Cuni-ON – Supplying Europe’s best breeding stock for the commercial rabbit producer. Bucks and does available year-round. 519-4508308. CuniON@tcc.on.ca 03-3W --------------------------------------------

LIVESTOCK FOR SALE -------------------------------------------BLACK & RED SIMMENTAL BULLS, yearlings and two-year-olds for sale by private treaty. Performance, ultrasound and semen tested with BIO$ scores. Reports on Agsights website. Contact Dave Milliner, Dundalk, ON. 519923-9188 / 519-375-0122 or milliner.dg@gmail.com 03-3W -------------------------------------------Limousin bulls – ready to work for you; semen tested. Open and bred females available. S m a r t Limousin, Meaford 519-372-7459. smartlimo@bmts.com www.smartlimousin.com 05-W -------------------------------------------McKague Charolais bulls, reg. purebred yearlings, polled and semen tested. Heifers available.

Wingham, 519-357-3808. 05-1W -------------------------------------------Red Angus, Red Angus-Simmental and Simmental bulls on test. Watch them grow by googling “Ontario Bull Evaluation” Silver Springs Farms. James, Joan and Robert McKinlay 519-599-6236 05-2W -------------------------------------------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 -------------------------------------------RETAIL & GIFTS -------------------------------------------Homemade toys, small wooden farm equipment for little farmers among the many things at Huron Artisan Market, 63 Albert St., Clinton.

-------------------------------------------SERVICES -------------------------------------------INCOME TAX FILING FOR CORPORATIONS and late filers – for farms, small business, truckers and individuals. Will make house calls in the North Huron, Perth and surrounding area. Call Shirley in Wingham – cell No. 1-705-434-8187.

--------------------------------------------

• Tree Seedlings • Nursery Stock • Shade Trees • Native Species Order for Spring 2023 Now

888-226-6344

www.hrichardsonfarms.com

May 2023 63

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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 --------------------------------------------

SERVICES -------------------------------------------Langside Chainsaw & Small Engine Sales & Service – chainsaws and accessories, string trimmers, power cutters, small engines, v-belts, lawn mower sales and service. Isaac M. Martin, 378 Langside Street, RR 5, Lucknow, ON N0G 2H0.

--------------------------------------------

UPCOMING EVENTS -------------------------------------------Exeter Saddle Club 2023 Horse Show Dates: June 4 and 25, July 16, August 20, September 3 and 17, September 24 (rain date only).

Behind South Huron Recreation Centre, Exeter, starting 9:30 a.m.

For more information call 519-3935051.

-------------------------------------------Now Accepting Consignments for the 23rd Annual Amish School Fund Auction, held at the farm of Robert and Sarah Kuepfer, Fire# 80 Conc. 2, Elderslie Twp., one km. west of Chesley, Saturday, June 10, 2023. Consign items June 7, 8 and 9. Quality consignments of farm, commercial and industrial equipment, antiques and horses wanted. No Junk. Phone to consign items before May 1 for advertising benefits. To consign – contact sales committee: Paul Jantzi 519-3647892. Vendor info: Mark Kuepfer 519-363-9182. To consign horses contact Mervin Kuepfer 519-3639560, Martin Kuepfer 519-3633497. No Buyers Premium.

--------------------------------------------

DANNY’S

Custom Painting & Sandblasting 86362 Harper Line RR 1 Lucknow N0G 2H0 (just north of Zion Road)

HIGHLAND FENCE

& SUPPLY INC. Joseph Kirwin

519-475-4868 • 1-800-923-4488 info@highlandfence.ca • www.highlandfence.ca 804075 Rd. 80, Embro, ON N0J 1J0 Specializing in on Farm Pest Management Serving Southwestern ON, Golden Horseshoe, GTA

DONALD A ANDREW ACCOUNTING

Email: info@sgsltd.ca

Accounting & Income Tax Services for FARMS, BUSINESSES & INDIVIDUALS 296 Ross St., Lucknow

Ph. 519-528-3019

519-692-4232 www.sgspestmanagement.ca

-------------------------------------------UPCOMING EVENTS --------------------------------------------

Neustadt and District Lions Club’s

FAMOUS CRAB, STEAK OR LOBSTERFEST

Saturday, May 27 ~ 4-8 pm

Neustadt Arena ~ 183 Enoch St., Neustadt Entertainment by the Twist Tops

Crab Dinner $50; Steak Dinner $35; Lobster Dinner $45 For tickets call: 519-799-5914; 519-799-5346; 519-799-5791 or email: LionsLobsterfest@gmail.com

da

’s L

st arge

Travelling

Camping Packages and Armbands Available at Door

Sunday, June 18th

from 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

“A Daytrip Back in Agricultural History”

On-farm displays of tractors, automobiles and other vintage pieces.

Throughout South Bruce Mildmay, Formosa, Teeswater and Belmore

More info and maps available at: www.visitsouthbruce.ca

Friday, May 26th 7 PM DANCE

D ce

25th Anniversary n Come Joi ! n u F the

64 The Rural Voice

Ba rn

an

Ca na

Crab and Lobster tickets available until May 14, 2023 Steak tickets available until May 22, 2023

South Bruce Tourism’s Annual Father’s Day Vintage Tractor Tour

Country Versatiles

BARN DANCE JAMBOREE/CAMPOUT You are invited to attend the 25th Anniversary Barn Dance Jamboree/Campout Celebration!

May 26th, 27th 28th, 2023 At the Blyth Community Complex & Campground

Saturday, May 27th 7:30 PM BARN DANCE SHOW Featured Guests: Larry Mercey Naomi Bristow Paul Weber

Blyth, ON Sponsored by the Barn Dance Historical Society Box 68, Wingham, ON N0G 2W0 Registration & Details on website: www.thebarndance.ca or email barndance2013@gmail.com

Sunday, May 28th 10:30 AM GOSPEL SHOW

CLASSIFIED UPCOMING EVENTS -------------------------------------------McQuail’s Annual Meeting Place Organic Farm Seedling Sale and Farm Open House: In person May 13 and 14. Horse-drawn wagon rides, self-guided tours. Pre-order seedlings online (or phone/email) or drop in and browse the selection day of. Flower, herb, vegetable and heirloom tomato seedlings, freezer beef and pork, maple syrup, honey, apple butter and lambskins. Please check the website or social media for details and information. 86016 Creek Line, east of Lucknow. 519-528-2493. www.meetingplaceorganicfarm.com -------------------------------------------WANTED -------------------------------------------IN SEARCH OF: Ontario Pork Congress is celebrating 50 years and looking for memorabilia related to the OPC and Ontario Pork industry in general to include in the June 2023 event. Looking primarily for physical items – booklets and literature, promotional swag, small pig equipment, etc. Welcoming any and all things OPC. Contact Brent at brent.devries@hendrixgenetics.com or 519-501-3327.

-------------------------------------------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 -------------------------------------------Looking to rent organic farmland or land to transition to organic cropping in Huron and Bruce Counties. Contact Trevor at Triple T Farms, 519-357-8350.

04-2W -------------------------------------------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.

04-6W -------------------------------------------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 03-6W --------------------------------------------

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Fri. May 12, 4-9 Sat. May 13, 9-4 Free Admission

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&KK ͮ WZ/ ^ d d, ' Z E K& '/&d^ &h>> d />^ E W Zd/ /W d/E' s E KZ^ KE>/E ͗ EW , D Z͘ KD 519-291-1551 info@npchamber.com

May 2023 65

National Farmers Union – Ontario NEWSLETTER Phone: 1-888-832-9638 E-mail: office@nfuontario.ca Website: www.nfuontario.ca

Strong Communities.

Sound Policies.

Sustainable Farms.

NFU-O President engages with policymakers and community leaders to enact change Ontario farmers face a range of challenges, from the threat of farmland loss to mental health concerns. Max Hansgen, NFU-O President, is addressing these issues head-on.

On March 29, Hansgen, along with NFU President Jenn Pfenning, met with MPPs at Queen’s Park to discuss the ongoing risks to farmland protection in Ontario. Bill 23, which weakens the province’s protections for agricultural lands and opens them up for development, remains a primary concern. Farmland is a finite resource, and once it is lost to development, it cannot be regained.

We already lose 319 acres of farmland a day, and Bill 23 will only accelerate this loss. The N F U-O calls for policies that prioritize farmland protection and urges MPPs to take action to ensure that farmland is preserved for future generations, which includes repealing Bill 23.

As well, the NFU-O advocates for land-grabbing prevention legislation, which would help prevent foreign and domestic investors from acquiring large amounts of agricultural land for non-farming purposes.

“Agricultural land should be owned by the farmers who grow our food and not by companies that are speculating on land prices rising even higher, or seeking to increase dividends through high rents – or both – at the expense of eaters and growers alike”, urges Hansgen.

Hansgen then visited FoodShare Toronto, where he met with Orlando Martín López Gómez, N F U-O’s BIPOC Advisor and FoodShare’s Community Food Growing Senior Manager. FoodShare is a nonprofit that addresses hunger and advocates for policy to strengthen food security and justice. They also deliver food

NFU-O President Max Hansgen (left) and NFU-O BIPOC Advisor Orlando Martín López Gómez (right) at a FoodShare urban farm property in Toronto.

boxes and operate an urban farm. The need for urban agriculture is growing, as it offers an alternative model for food production as land becomes ever more difficult to access. As well, urban agriculture serves as a valuable teaching and community building tool.

FoodShare’s urban farm provides fresh local produce to the local community and serves as a model for sustainable agriculture. The threeacre farm is also an educational site, providing community youth with an opportunity to become connected to the food system and gain the skills necessary to become involved in farming.

On March 30, Hansgen provided opening remarks at the “Healthy, Vibrant Communities – A Mental Health Summit for Agriculture and Rural Communities” event in Guelph, speaking about building resilience in farmers’ mental health.

Isolation, financial stress, and the pressure of unpredictable weather and crop yields all pose a threat to

farmers’ mental wellbeing.

“The NFU believes improving farmer mental health requires collaboration between farmers, farm organizations and government agencies to find ways to improve the economic viability and stability of the sector,” says Hansgen. “Farmers ask trained specialists for help with the health of their soil and crops and ask their vet or nutritionist for help with the health of their animals. It is not a weakness to ask for help when we are not sure how to deal with a problem.”

While the challenges we face may seem overwhelming in isolation, there is strength in community.

By engaging with policymakers, community leaders, and local farmers, the NFU-O is working to promote policies that support farmers, protect farmland, and build healthy, vibrant communities.

Solidarity within the NFU makes us strong, and we’re lucky to have such engaged and passionate leadership in Hansgen!

A subscription to The Rural Voice is one of the benefits of being an NFU-O member 66 The Rural Voice

Perth County Pork Producers NEWSLETTER

Polly Hoekstra, President phoekstra@hotmail.ca / 226-580-0174 * The Rural Voice is provided to Perth County Pork Producers by the PCPPA perthcountyporkproducers@gmail.com

Hog Industry Thoughts 1) Prices: why are they not higher?

Higher price for pigs globally (Europe, China, South America, Mexico), yet North American prices are significantly below breakeven (started December) assuming you are buying inputs at current prices. It costs $135 for feed to finish a pig, compared to $100 usually. The landbased Ontario farrow-to-finish producers are doing quite well, not so much for many who are “hog only” operations. While this summer was expected to be highly profitable, the picture at this stage is uncertain. It appears demand is lagging as indicated by the hog cutout.

Unfortunately, processors generally are also struggling. I am always amazed how difficult it is to predict where prices are going considering the fundamentals. Even the experts get it wrong, often. I guess what is important is the longer run knowing that the industry has to be profitable or all will exit.

We learned in economics 101 many years ago that eventually over time and an entire industry, the average cost of production equals the average selling price. And we do know that south-western Ontario is good place to raise livestock, including pigs. So outside of a major macro event, such as we saw from 2006 through 2009, the industry here will succeed and be competitive.

2) Reduced Shackle Space and kill capacity: Producers directly affected and to some degree, all of us in Ontario, are impacted by the decision of the major Quebec Packer to reduce harvest is resulting in major challenges. During the last 16 months, we have seen little hope with poor prices, then better prices to competitive sales channels (last summer), to again challenging prices for producers directly affected. It appears, perhaps, longer-term opportunities to increase harvest capacity here through separate

initiatives are emerging. All of these requiring direct producer involvement. It appears continuing integration from the farm up is required, risky though it might be.

Any of these initiatives appear to be longer term (two to five years) so the challenge is to maintain all supply infrastructure. The industry here is positioned well to be low (competitive) cost and closer to markets (people and further processing), so I do hope we can survive and then thrive beyond this current challenge. It does us all well to support these initiatives to increase harvest capacity. I would not like to see only those with current local contract arrangements succeed while others challenged with the Quebec decision unnecessarily stumble.

3) Pig Health: Disease continues to be a challenge. It seems to humble the best of us, veterinarians and producers alike. Answering the question of “where does it come from” and “how to avoid in the

future” are still not easily answered.

It appears that Ontario is not challenged any more than other parts around the world. Almost all of us know the joy of raising pigs when pigs are healthy. What are the next steps in challenging disease? It seems to have again changed, with new disease and mutations coming our way. What can we do as individual farmers and what do we need to do across our industry to reduce the challenges and then respond effectively and quickly when faced with a disease or even a variety of them? Perhaps intentionally talking producer to producer in our regions with veterinarian support would be a worthwhile next step. As I look at our operation, anything we can do to minimize disease challenge, will increase animal and producer welfare and keep us as an industry and more globally competitive. ◊ – The above is the opinion of the writer, Clare Schlegel and may not reflect the views of PCPPA

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 May 2023 67

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

77th Annual Public Speaking Contest is a huge success

Pictured are the finalists in the Grey County Federation of Agriculture Public Speaking Competition held recently. Congratulations to all the winners. Seated are the first-place winners: Jaiden Stull, Jr Ag Award; Madison Hamil, Intermediate and Ag Award winner and Holly McBride, Jr winner. The crowd was entertained and educated by these fantastic speakers.

Vincent new MSR for Zone 2 Grey and Bruce County Federations of Agriculture This spring, effective April 3, Margaret Vincent has transitioned into the role of Member Service Rep. for Zone 2 Grey and Bruce. Prior to this update, Margaret was working as the Huron Perth OFA Member Service Representative for nine years. In her role as MSR, she will provide support to both Grey and Bruce County Federations of Agriculture, as well as answering member inquiries.

Margaret grew up on a dairy farm in Huron County where she currently farms with her family growing grains and raising sheep and beef animals.

Her background includes Diplomas in Environmental Management and Agriculture.

GCFA 2023 Events JUNE 14 - Directors’ Meeting JULY 8 - Ag Night at the Races AUGUST 9 - Directors’ Meeting Member Day - Storybook Park SEPTEMBER 13 - Directors’ Meeting Concert Series OCTOBER 13 - GCFA AGM NOVEMBER 8 - Directors’ Meeting

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

68 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

Safe travelling during planting season As we are in the busy spring season a few things to remember when traveling with equipment on the roads….

Driver’s Licences You do not need a driver’s licence to operate a farm tractor or selfpropelled implement of husbandry (SPIH) along a highway, but you must be at least 16 years old.

Children younger than 16 can only drive farm vehicles directly across a highway. A driver with an impaired driving licence suspension cannot drive farm machinery on a highway.

Where to Drive Although it is legal to drive farm equipment on some road shoulders, you should drive on the travelled portion of the highway. The shoulder may not be able to support the weight of your farm equipment, and there may be obstacles on the shoulder.

Although farm equipment is exempt from HTA vehicle width rules, you must yield half the roadway to oncoming vehicles. If you leave your lane to travel on the shoulder, you must yield to any traffic in the roadway before re-entry.

Lights Farm vehicles on a highway between one-half hour before sunset and one-half hour after sunrise, or when vehicles are not clearly visible from 150 metres, must have at least two white headlights facing forward, and one red taillight facing rearward.

When towing implements, the rear-most unit must have at least one red taillight. Farm vehicles or towed equipment over 2.6 metres wide must have two taillights, and over width equipment have other specific requirements. HTA 109.

Farm implement or combinations over 6.1 metres long need side marker lights; two green or amber lights at the front and two red lights at the rear; clearly visible from 150 metres.

Slow Moving Vehicle Signs Every farm tractor or selfpropelled implement on a highway must display a Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) sign centered on the rear of the vehicle, 0.6 to two metres above the road. Any vehicle using an SMV sign cannot exceed 40 kms/hr.

If your slow-moving vehicle is towing something, you need to display the sign at the rear of the towed object. Farmers may tow implements behind a pickup truck.

The truck/implement combination cannot exceed 40 kms/hr. Replace faded SMV signs. They must be clearly visible from 150 metres.

When loaded on a truck or trailer, a slow moving vehicle is a load; it is no longer an SMV. Remove or cover any SMV sign on the load. Slowmoving vehicle signs are for SMVs only. You cannot attach them to fixed objects such as mailboxes, fences, or gate posts visible from the road.

High-Speed Tractors All farm equipment, including those capable of road speeds over 40 kms/hr. must obey the 40 km/hr. speed limit and use the SMV sign.

This is based on HTA 76 (SMV Signs). Section 76 identifies farm tractors and SPIHs as slow moving vehicles, requires all slow moving vehicles to display the SMV sign when on the roads, and requires all SMVs displaying the sign, including high-speed tractors, to obey the SMV 40 kms/hr. speed limit.

Safety Chains The HTA requires farm wagons and implements drawn along a highway behind a farm tractor, SPIH, pickup or car, to have two separate

BCFA 2023 MEETINGS • May 23 • June 26 • August 28

• September 25 • October 27 • November 13

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. A safety chain must be strong enough to hold the weight of towed implements plus their loads. When towing multiple implements, 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. See MTO Farm Guide for chain strength tables.

Self-Propelled Implements of Husbandry (SPIH) SPIHs are vehicles manufactured, designed, redesigned, converted, or reconstructed for a specific use in farming. When converted from former road vehicles, an SPIH must exhibit significant outward, physical change to the cargo-carrying portion of the vehicle. The modifications enable it to perform its specific farm use and not its previous function.

SPIH can travel on a highway without license plates only if travelling from a farm to farm, to perform a farm use, or to or from places for maintenance or repairs. All other uses, including farm to commercial elevator or processing plant, require plates. ◊

SMV SIGN If you require a new SMV sign for your equipment before heading out on the road, contact the BCFA office, there are some available to members.

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

May 2023 69

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

Seven commodities attended PCFA Spring Forum On March 17, 2023 the Perth County Federation of Agriculture (PCFA) held its annual Spring Forum in Stratford. We were very pleased this year to be hosting a fully inperson event after three years of online and hybrid versions.

The Spring Forum is a day-long event that has commodities and PCFA presenting briefs on various issues affecting each group to PerthWellington MP, John Nater and Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae. After each presentation time was allotted for MP Nater and MPP Rae to respond and answer questions.

Seven commodities attended and presented briefs this year. They included District 3 Sheep Farmers, Perth County Beef Farmers, Perth County Milk Producers, Egg and Pullet Farmers, Perth County Pork Producers, Chicken Farmers, and Grain Farmers. PCFA also presented three briefs of concern to agriculture in general.

PCFA’s first brief presentation was about our concerns with Bill 23More Homes Built Faster Act. Our main concerns here are with the potential for increased farmland loss as well as its effects on pre-existing planning procedures as well as proposed changes to the Development Charges Act. The second brief was on Rural Healthcare. As we all know, having emergency rooms closed in small rural towns has a great effect on levels of care when travel times to the next available ER are large. There was much discussion and examples presented to the MP and MPP. PCFA’s third brief was regarding Cell Phone reception in our rural areas. The fact that a lot of farmers have gotten rid of landlines and rely solely on cell phones for safety and business it is now essential to have good service in rural areas. Questions were asked about why cell service is getting worse in rural areas.

Pictured are President Julie Danen with John Nater MP, left and Mathew Rae MPP at the Perth County Federation of Agriculture’s annual Spring Forum which was held March 17 in Stratford.

As for the commodity concerns, each had industry-specific problems that were presented to MP Nater and MPP Rae but there were some underlying concerns that came up from multiple commodities. One of these issues was the ask that the government invest more in Ontario processing infrastructure or reducing red tape for processing. Having adequate processing is essential to maintaining a sustainable agriculture industry in this province. Another ask was for the governments to support labour. Either investing in the labour force to run our processing plants or farms or investing in technology to replace labour requirements were options. Support was also requested

to improve options for temporary foreign workers. Many commodities also felt having agricultural education mandatory in the provincial curriculum is extremely important and asked MPP Rae to take it to the education minister. Funding for the Risk Management Program was also requested.

If you would like to review the briefs that were presented by PCFA for further information go to www.perthcountyfarmers.ca under the “What’s New” section. I would like to thank MP Nater and MPP Rae for attending the Spring Forum and engaging with local producers.

– Submitted by Julie Danen PCFA President

Have a safe spring planting season!

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

70 The Rural Voice

Index Allied Associates ........................37 Argyle Marine & Small Engines..60 Barn Dance Historical Society....64 Bau-Tec Industries Inc................47 Bernie McGlynn Lumber Ltd ......49 Bervie Supply Energy Ltd............15 Bester Forest Products ..............49 Bio-Ag ..........................................19 Blyth Festival ......................Cover 4 Boonstoppel, Dave & Elly ..........27 Bushell’s Auto Sales ..................62 Canadian Co-operative Wool ....37 Chalmers Fuels ..............................3 Clinton Spring Fair ........................8 Crafters Corners..........................43 CropQuest Inc ..............................19 Crop Management ................55,58 Cross Country Eavestrough ......49 Daytrips and Destinations..........4,7 DJ Henry ......................................60 Dundalk Credit Union ..................14 DL Distributing ............................60 Easy Lift Doors Ltd......................28 Farm to Table ............................9,11 Fieldwalker Agronomy ................60 Five Star Seeds Limited..............60 Gerber’s Workwear ....................55 Gladys Munro ..............................61 Green Valley Heating..................56 Greenville Liquid Plant Food ......34 Grey-Bruce Construction ............19

GRK Products ............................39 Hanover Honda ..........................25 Hardi ............................................25 Harold Jones Enterprises ............61 Hayden Water Wells....................39 Hill&Hill Farms/Varna Grain ..Cover 2 Home & Garden ................29,30,31 Huron Perth Public Health......17,21 Huron Hauling & Excavating ......17 Invisible Fence ............................35 JA Porter Holdings ........................2 Kenpal Farm Products Inc ..........27 Kingwood Bins ............................35 Kraemer Concrete Ltd ................60 LAC ..............................................47 Lakeside Shelving ......................55 Listowel Lifestyle Show ..............65 Live Landscape ..........................43 Lucknow Auto Parts ....................61 Mapleview Agri............................22 Marquardt Farm Drainage Ltd ......3 Martin’s Nursery..................Cover 4 McLeod Water Wells....................21 Mental Health Awareness ..........45 Mike Boven ..................................61 Morris Sachs Silo Construction ..37 Nature’s Wave Inc..........................3 Neustadt & District Lions Club ..64 NNZ Inc Canada ..........................57 North Huron Carpentry................17 Nuclear Waste Management ......57

Nuhn Forage................................65 Outdoor Recreation ....................13 R&M Gorman Hay & Straw Inc ..61 Railfence Books ..........................43 RBC Ag West ..............................71 RCS Forestry Mulching ..............46 Ridgeway Metals..........................61 RLP - Steacy Den Haan ..............15 Rural Voice Books ..............Cover 5 Saugeen Valley Conserv. Auth ..49 Schweiss Doors............................12 Seifried Farm Equipment ............16 Sharp’s Creek Forge ..................49 Silver Creek Nursery ..................62 South Bruce Tourism ..................64 Steffen Well Drilling ....................61 Stops Along The Way............Cover 6 Stratford Crane Rental ................21 Superior Barn Painting ......Cover 7 SWO Diesel ........................Cover 7 Townsley Barn Painting ..............64 Tree Planting/Maintenance ..51,52 Triple P Consulting ........................2 Trouw Nutrition ............Back Cover Usborne & Hibbert Mutual Fire ..53 WD Hopper & Sons Ltd ..............50 Waddell Engineering ..................53 Wehrmann Grain & Seeds ..........61 West Wawanosh ................Cover 3 Wideman’s Bee Supply ..............62

Every business is unique.

Your advice should be too.

Our experienced and knowledgeable agriculture account managers can help you reach your specific business goals. Whether you’re looking to expand your business, pass it to the next generation or you’re focused on managing risks, we’re here to help you succeed.

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Harrison Todd 226-668-6476

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Faith Fullerton 226-668-2658

rbc.com/agriculture ® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. VPS110498

124817 (04/2020)

May 2023 71

HURON

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

County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER

Annual MP/MPP and Local Politician forum held

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

Upcoming Events May 14 - Happy Mother’s Day! May 22 - Victoria Day June 2-4 - Clinton Spring Fair Visit: clintonspringfair.com Huron County Federation of Agriculture

BOARD MEETING No May Meeting Next meeting: Monday, June 26 8:00 p.m.

HCFA Office in Vanastra

ROOM FOR RENT On Friday, March 31, the HCFA hosted the Annual MP/MPP and Local Politician Forum at the Holmesville Community Centre. Local commodity representatives gathered to discuss a multitude of issues with Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb and MPP Lisa Thompson and representatives from our local municipalities. Briefing packages were provided to all attendees. This year briefs were presented by Egg, Dairy, Beef, Grain, Pork and Sheep as well as the HCFA Property and Land Use, Farm Finance and Public Relations Committee.

Pictured above are: MP Ben Lobb, HCFA President Murray Workman and in front, MPP Lisa Thompson.

Councillors provided with Ag Matters Guide The HCFA has recently provided our Municipal Councillors with the Ag Matters Guide that explains how agriculture can be considered in municipal decision making. If you want to have a look at the guide it can be found at ofa.on.ca/resources/guide-for-municipalcouncillors-and-staff or scan this QR code.

HCFA distributes SMV signs throughout Huron County The HCFA continues to distribute new slow-moving vehicle signs throughout Huron County to replace faded, damaged or missing signs . This project was supported by the OFA Revive Fund. We have a limited amount of signs available so please contact us if you are interested in a new sign. Remember a slow-moving vehicle (SMV) sign warns other road users that your vehicle is moving at 40 kms/hour or less.

This year let’s make FARM SAFETY a top priority. It is important for us to continue educating ourselves and our employees on safe farming practices.

Intentional efforts for safety are important for everyone to be aware of.

The Huron County Federation of Agriculture has a board room available for rent $40 (HST included) Call the HCFA office at 519-482-9642 Ext. 2, to check availability and to book your meetings

Farmer Wellness Initiative 24/7 counseling to farmers and farm family members, free all year round 1.866.267.6255 https://farmerwellnessinitiative.ca/; and frequently asked questions about FWI: https://farmerwellnessinitiative.ca/faq/

SAVE THE DATES! HURON OFA REGIONAL MEETING August 30, 2023 (Election of OFA Convention Delegates and OFA Policy Advisory Council Representatives will be held at this meeting) Watch for more details!

Huron County Federation of Agriculture

ANNUAL MEETING October 27, 2023 Watch for more details!

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

72 The Rural Voice

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ALICE MUNRO FRIEND OF MY YOUTH Ten stories bring to life characters in a remarkable variety of times and places.

As always, Alice Munro’s people are as real and recognizable as ourselves. $20.00

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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.

Stops_Layout 1 2023-04-19 8:33 AM Page 1

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