The Rural Voice - Nov. 2021

Rural Voice

The

November 2021

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

CHURCH COFFEE

ONE HEALTH APPROACH

The Gingerich family makes a home and really good coffee at their Kintail church

Protecting natural areas can help prevent pandemics says Dr. Justina Ray

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Creating a biologically diverse space includes a universal no-kill policy

The berries are great but getting customers down the laneway is a challenge

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Contents The

17

Rural Voice THE MAGAZINE OF AGRICULTURAL LIFE

20

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

24 Columns Lisa B. Pot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Keith Roulston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Kate Procter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Jeffrey Carter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Mabel’s Grill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Viewpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Gardening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Woodlots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Agrilaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Departments Ruralite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 News & Advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Business Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

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

NOVEMBER 2021 • Cover Photo The Gingerich Family, Coastal Coffee Photo by Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot

• Deadlines: Dec. Issue – Nov. 9 January Issue – December 7

17 Coastal Coffee Old church makes space for family home and new coffee roastery

20 Pick Your Own Berries Berrylicious offers tours, agrieducation and a chance to pick your own berries

24 One Health for Humans Building resiliency in our watersheds will make for healthier humans and reduce pandemic risks

26 The Ecobubble Urbanites commit to creating a nokill habitat on their rural property which features a geodesic dome

Contributing writers: Keith Roulston, Kate Procter, Jeffrey Carter, Rhea Hamilton Seeger, Arnold Mathers, Donna Lacey, Melisa Luymes, Anne Mann, Nancy Fisher, Bonnie Sitter, Jeff Tribe, Amanda Brodhagen and Hetty Stuart Mailed by: McLaren Press Graphics, Bracebridge, ON Advertising Sales: Shelley Kroes rvads@northhuron.on.ca Production co-ordinator & Telemarketing: Joan Caldwell 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: $20 (12 issues) $35 (24 issues), includes HST Back copies $2.75 each,U.S. rates, $65.00

37 Make a War Cake No eggs and no milk? No problem for this war-time cake

44 Tree Marking The science and education behind tree marking is intense

All manuscripts submitted for consideration should be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited 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.

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~ Ben Gingerich of Coastal Coffee on the benefits of choosing sweet, well-bodied coffee beans to roast. Story on page 17 Where Do These Phrases Come From? ● Burning the Midnight Oil: In a time before electricity, candlelight or lamp oil was used for lighting. When you stayed up late to work, you literally burned the lamp oil at midnight. ● Dressed to the Nines: Dressed to the nines meant that you were rich enough to literally purchase the entire nine yards it took to make a tailor-fit outfit (including the vest, jacket, etc.) ● At the Drop of a Hat: Instead of a gunshot to indicate that a race had started, it was customary in the 1800s to drop a hat to signal the start of the race.

about our products, providing a great experience, along with some agricultural awareness. These are the reasons we go to work each day.”

Wendy and Don Colcuc who grow blueberries, raspberries and elderberries at their Berrylicious Fruit Farm. Story on page 20.

FARMING IN NOVEMBER “Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals and happiness.”

•

~Thomas Jefferson

Neil’s One-Liners (Wisdom and humour from the McGavin files)

• Stressed spelled backwards spells dessert.

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Feeling the Blues

• A smile is an inexpensive way

Dana Hammond picks blueberries at the Berrylicious Fruit Farm near Burgessville Photo by Jeff Tribe. Story on page 20

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November 2021 3

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

Does fear make you fight or flee?

I had a Praying Mantis on my shoe the other day. It was prayerfully meditating until it noticed my presence. Then it slowly rotated its alien, triangular head to look at me, whereupon it immediately started flailing its arms like it wanted to fight.

I had no intention of hurting it (unlike its own tendencies to bite the head off a breeding male) and I encouraged it to climb off my shoe onto a sheltering bush nearby.

It got me thinking about the connection between fear and fighting and how quickly relationships can deteriorate into anger when, at the heart of it, fear is the problem ... not the issue itself.

COVID-19: Like many families. we have members who are fully vaccinated and some who are not.

Opinions on the pandemic, the government’s vaccination mandates and the current and future health of the vaccinated versus non-vaccinated run the gamut from pro-vaccination to anti-vaccers.

Then comes Thanksgiving and all these people, vaccinated and unvaccinated, have to decide where and how to celebrate the holiday.

Our family chose to celebrate together and when the subject of COVID-19 came up, it was politely shut down because it would certainly lead to a family discussion that could easily lead to a family fight.

We don’t want that. Plus, neither side has enough proof to know with 100 per cent certainty that their decision to vaccinate, or not, is the right one.

I think fear plays a huge role in either decision — fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus (or spreading it to someone vulnerable) or fear of damaging our bodies much worse with a new vaccine.

4 The Rural Voice

In this instance, our fears remained muted and our opinions unstated. It wasn’t actually “flight” but it was an avoidance to avoid the risk of a “fight” response this day, we wanted to be thankful ... not angry.

CURFEWS: Parenting in my 50s is not nearly the rule-making, figuring-it-out, perfect-parentpressure role it was when I first had teenagers in my thirties.

These last two teens have been given more freedom to go out and make wise choices until they make a stupid decision. Which is what happened recently when one teen still wasn’t home at 2:30 a.m. and worse yet, wasn’t answering her phone.

This had never happened before so after the tenth unanswered call I had visions of her dying in the ditch, phone lost in the cornfield. It was NOT a good night.

I tried using the Snapchat map feature, woke up her siblings to also make calls and finally, we reached her by phone which she had tossed onto a chair and not heard. She was fine but still very, very late.

Fear made me angry at this teenager for putting me through so much angst. I wanted to yell, cry and fight to release all that

worried energy.

Instead, we both agreed she should be grounded and understood communication would be vital moving forward. It has been good since.

These are just two simple experiences I’ve had recently when fear could have led to a fight. I think, from both of them, I’ve learned that properly managed communication (speak, or not to speak) is the ultimate antidote to fear-induced fighting — a lesson to be heeded by humans. Praying Mantises couldn’t care less.◊

When threatened, insects, animals and humans often revert to a flight or fight response to cope with an unexpected situation. It’s hard to know whether this Praying Mantis was trying to fight or flee but in the human experience, proper communication can calm both behaviours.

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November 2021 5

Keith Roulston Keith is former publisher of The Rural Voice.

He lives near Blyth, ON.

Respect your modern power It’s often said that the President of the United States is the most powerful person in the world, but even if our command pales by comparison, most of us in Western societies possess power few people in history have experienced.

I’ve been thinking of this since we had a tree-removal crew in recently to cut down some trees that I’d foolishly allowed to grow too close to our house. Two men with chain saws – one using one of those longhandled machines to trim off limbs, the other who climbed the swaying trees where the bucket truck wouldn’t reach, to remove limbs overhanging the roof – cut down three trees in

about an hour. A third man made all the limbs, branches and leaves disappear by feeding them through a powerful chipper.

Because of a writing project, I’ve been reading and thinking a lot about the pioneers who cleared Ontario’s farmland a few acres each year with back-breaking effort over many years. Imagine if they could have seen what these men accomplished with today’s technology.

Now I, personally, didn’t have this power. I didn’t have the specialized equipment that did the job. And even in my younger, more-macho days, you wouldn’t have caught me scaling a tree with a saw. But I could afford to hire these experts, something my parents wouldn’t have thought of.

Recently we watched the littleknown movie The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio and it brought back memories of the hard times of the 1950s. Julianne Moore plays a mother of 10 children who sometimes couldn’t even scrape together enough money to pay the milk man. But she had a talent with words and, in those days when many companies offered prizes for jingles

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and slogans promoting their products, she kept her kids fed and a roof over their heads.

We had our own cows so milk wasn’t an issue, but other necessities were hard to come by during my childhood. My dad bought the cheapest cars he could find, repaired them himself, and when they were beyond repair, he abandoned them before buying a new, less-thandependable clunker. The grocery store often provided credit for our weekly shopping trip.

With their large equipment, farmers literally have immense power these days. But nearly all of us in Western countries have the ability, through our relative affluence, to affect the health of the planet we live on.

When we drove those old used cars, we seldom made long trips because we didn’t want to break down in the middle of nowhere.

Heck, I was six or seven before I was baptized because the car never seemed to start when arrangements were made for the minister to conduct the sacrament.

Today, with the comfort of a car I bought new, we can confidently take off at a moment’s notice to a nearby city or plan a cross-province or crosscountry trek – burning carbondioxide producing gas all the way.

Pre-pandemic, we could jump on an airplane and fly anywhere in the world to see such things as the pyramids or climb a mountain.

We can replace a TV or computer to make sure we’re up on the latest in gadgets.We can throw out food that’s still perfectly good but is nearing its best-before date, or because we don’t like leftovers.

A modernized version of a New Testament verse states: “With great power comes great responsibility.”

We affluent Westerners have a lot more power to influence the future of our climate and environment than someone living in a hut in the Amazon rain forest or the Kenyan plains. That power brings a responsibility that can be a burden, for while those people aren’t going to have much of a worldwide effect, the choices we make every day can have a life-and-death impact on people in less protected locations.◊

November 2021 7

Kate Procter The residential school history is horrible and tragic, and the responses by our government and some church leaders have allowed the tragedy to be swept under the rug for too long.

But we allowed ourselves to be deaf to the stories. We need to remember that we are the government, and if we want real change, we must demand it.

We must ensure that our voices are heard – politicians respond to that, eventually, if there are enough voices.

As we consider the horror of the residential schools, the other things that happened as Canada was settled may pale in comparison. But learning about this helps us to understand why Indigenous people are still fighting to be heard, still trying to be understood by the rest of us as we go about our busy lives.

I know I’m not alone in working to learn more about our history. I took an online course over the summer through the University of Alberta that I watched on my phone, and read a small, but important book – “21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act,” by Bob

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

Learning about truth and reconciliation while harvesting soybeans On September 30, I spent a beautiful fall day harvesting soybeans. It provided me perhaps one of the best opportunities to reflect on the first ever National Day for Truth and Reconciliation held in Canada. It provided me with the opportunity to learn the history of our country as I had not learned it before. Even from the combine in rural Huron County, the radio provided me with ample opportunity to engage and learn.

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Joseph. Baby steps.

In the book, Joseph explains 21 pieces of the Act that worked together through a series of rules, prohibitions, and regulations to move Canada towards Deputy Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, Duncan Scott’s vision. Scott wrote “I want to get rid of the Indian problem… Our objective is to continue until there is not an Indian that has not been absorbed into the body politic, and there is no Indian question, and no Indian Department…” (21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act, Joseph, 2018, pg 8).

Despite the fact that many Canadians did become aware of the Indian Act after the end of WWII and started looking at it critically, the Act has not changed a lot in the years between 1876 and today. While it has been amended many times, the basic framework remains and controls almost every aspect of life for Indigenous people (Joseph, pg 10).

The Indian Act imposed a new way of government to First Nations people, one which is still used today, and “has severely impacted the manner in which our societies traditionally govern themselves,” writes Joseph. It took away status from women, which has severely impacted the lives of women and children in Canada. It created reserves, renamed people, and even created a permit system that controlled Indians’ ability to sell products from farms. I found that one especially interesting. While the Canadian government was attempting to force First Nations people to “civilize” and become farmers, it made them settle on reserves, on land that was unsuitable for agriculture, and when they succeeded anyway, introduced a “permit-to-sell” system.

“Indian farmers were then placed in a position of requiring a permit to leave their reserve and a permit to sell farm products,” (Joseph, pg. 37).

The glimmer of understanding I gained from reading the book made me wonder how any sort of reconciliation is even possible, given all the wrongs that have been done in the past.

Kate Procter In that light, I was slightly encouraged to hear a story about our neighbours to the north, Saugeen Shores and the Ojibway Nation.

After 25 years of legal action in court over parts of the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula, the Saugeen Ojibway Nation’s (SON) claim with Saugeen Shores has been settled. What interested me most about the story was learning that after years of sitting across a courtroom, both sides agreed to sit down and discuss the matter as people, as community members, as folks sharing the same land. While the claim is still being disputed against federal, provincial, and other municipal governments, it is encouraging to know that progress can be made.

Chief Lester Anoquot (Saugeen First Nation) is quoted on the Saugeen Shores website as saying “We are pleased to close this chapter of our land claim. Through cooperation, and a spirit of listening and joint respect, we have been able to arrive at an agreement with Saugeen Shores that supports a strong relationship between our communities,” (www.saugeen shores.ca). “Reconciliation is an ongoing process, but each step forward is important and significant.

This resolution has strengthened the partnership with our neighbours at the Town of Saugeen Shores and is a positive step forward in our journey together on our traditional lands,” added Chief Veronica Smith, Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation, (www.saugeenshores.ca).

In spite of their best efforts, governments and church officials have not succeeded in getting “rid of the Indian problem” from Canada – our First Nations people are still here and they are still fighting to keep their culture and languages alive. As we work to learn more, we must not let one day a year be the only way we recognize and move towards real reconciliation. We cannot change the past, but must consider “reconciliation” to be a word of action, one that keeps us moving towards greater understanding, relationship building, and partnership. ◊

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November 2021 9

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

The Turnip Queen

R

ussell was born in 1925 in Oxford County, the youngest sibling of seven; three brothers, four sisters.

His father, Valentine, “Tine” for short, was a wiry man of middling height, fleet of foot, known among his fellows for his prowess with the village football team and for his knowledge of most things under the sun.

“If you want to know something,” neighbours would say, “go ask Tine.”

The eldest boy was much like his father. He left the 100 square acres – 85 workable – as soon as he was able, finding an olive-complexion city girl and throwing aside the faith

10 The Rural Voice

of his parents for the Catholic rite.

Years later he turned up on the farm alone and, as a small boy at play watched from a distance, chastised his youngest brother for failing to save corn seed. The exchange was brief. The elder brother walked briskly back to the soft round curves of his late-model, four-door sedan and left a trail of dust marking the withdrawal.

Russell remarked to the boy, “He doesn’t know anything. We grow hybrid corn here. I told him to bugger off.”

Tine was gone by that time.

Russell knew enough of his father and elder brother to know that sometimes strength needed to be met with strength but he also carried his mother’s temperament, a quiet endurance tempered by the Amish tradition, though it was the 13th Line Baptist Church that she and her husband had attended.

This second oldest son was also like his father. The two would fight, parent and child, to the point of rolling on the ground, neither giving way until each was exhausted, or one

pulled back from the precipice.

Machine Gunner Willis fought in the war and is buried at Nijmegen.

Russell had been too young to enlist and was needed on the farm.

This may have accounted for his zoot suit, inspired by a sense of rebellion or, perhaps, the Jewish boy who for a time lived down the road.

In any case, Russell, slim and darkhaired like his father but considerably taller, made for a striking figure in the attire, attracting the attention of the young ladies, despite his quiet ways.

There was one in particular who caught his eye, a rebel in her own right though not by choice, and with pluck to spare. She had earned acclaim in a black-faced, comedic role in Woodstock Little Theatre and, despite a hostile recommendation, had risen in her first job to become the head teller at a bank in town.

The contrast was startling: she was a city girl with few skills of any use on a farm, scratching at five feet; he was an accomplished agriculturalist just shy of six feet tall.

It was a two-way family connection that led to the match. Her elder brother of the well-to-do Richardson clan had married Russell’s sister and together as a young married couple “Mr. and Mrs. Rich” (as Russell would later coin) provided for a time the room and board for the young woman who would become Russell’s bride-to-be.

A proposal of marriage by a son who in all likelihood would inherit a farm was never taken lightly in those days by the elder generation and so a task was proposed. Along with his usual duties, Russell was to sow, thin, harvest and process five acres of a crop that, while lucrative, required strength and endurance. The newly acquired tractor was denied. A team of horses would suffice.

Sod was turned early that year on a long slope next to the Braemar Sideroad and worked to a fine consistency. The seed was placed.

Rains fell. The turnips sweetened.

The fecundity of spring lay still months ahead when the harvest came in.

Tine would last through the arrival of two girls and until another male

Jeff Carter heir had come into the picture. He’d grown thin with age and spent much of his time in the front sitting room on his side of the house, sipping tea from a saucer, enjoying the tumultuous cries of young voices through a locked wooden door.

The boy resembled the Richardsons, was short like his mother and possessed a thoughtful aspect for one so young. Tine would watch him wander down the laneway as the twilight deepened, eyes peering skyward, reaching for a distant star.

Eva, Tine’s wife, remained. She was tall, like her son, and carried the same slightly bow-legged stance. Her side of the house shrank as the other grew, till the trek to the upstairs bathroom proved too difficult and no amount of cordwood kindled to a raging flame by her son could keep her old bones warm.

The Turnip Queen remained, her domain and skills as a farmer’s wife secured, though with a regret she'd often express to her son in later years, the space about her too having diminished over time. ◊

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

“Before you order,” warned Molly Whiteside the other morning when the gang sat down at Mabel’s Grill, “since you guys never look at the menu, I should warn you that the price of the bacon and eggs breakfast just went up a dollar.”

“Oh, well, I guess I’ll just have to make up for it by leaving a smaller tip,” George Mackenzie said with a sly smirk.

“Your math’s not very good, George, ” said Molly sourly. “If you cut my tip by a dollar I’ll owe you money!”

“Is Mabel having to raise prices to make up for her losses during the pandemic?” Dave Winston wondered sympathetically.

“No, it’s because the cost of bacon’s gone up so much,” Molly explained.

“That’s right,” said Cliff Murray, “I saw on TV that the price of bacon is up 28 per cent over last year.”

Winking at George he suggested, “I guess Dave can afford to treat us poorer farmers this morning.”

“Ha! It may be up over last year but people forget I had pigs I could hardly sell last year with packing plants closed and restaurants not serving meals,” Dave grumbled. “We cut back production so now there’s a shortage of pork and everybody’s grumbling! Funny how people only notice when the price goes up, not when it goes down.

“Yeah, yeah,” grumbled George, “tell that to my wife! She was grouching about the cost of everything in the store being higher when she went shopping last week.”

“A farmer’s wife was complaining about the cost of food?” wondered Molly.

“Yeah well, when she’s doing the farm books she might be wishing the cost of beef was higher but when she’s in the grocery store Marylou’s just a consumer like everybody else,” said George.

“Besides,” said Dave, “if the

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farmer gets a buck extra for a pig, everybody from the packer to the grocery store gets two or three! I mean, no offense to Mabel, but when I bought a pound of bacon last week it cost me under eight dollars. There were 16 slices so that’s 50 cents a slice – or a dollar total for a serving of two slices – but she’s putting up the price a dollar because the price went up – what, about 28 cents!”

“Hey, he’s sharp this morning!” chuckled Cliff.

“Well no matter what the math, it’s still hard to feed two kids at these prices,” sighed Molly. “I mean, I try to cut back but then Jack Junior complains ’cause I didn’t bring home any potato chips.”

“I hope you don’t consider potato chips food,” Dave said.

“They are to my kids,” Molly said defensively. “Besides, they are made of potatoes.”

“What gets me,” said Cliff, heading off Dave before he could say something he’d regret to Molly, “is all these ads I see on television for these companies who bring you all the ingredients for a meal so you don’t have to go to the store and buy them cheaper. I sure hope those customers don’t turn around and gripe about the high cost of food.”

“Or the companies that deliver take-out to your door,” said George.

“I mean I heard on the TV the other day that 54 per cent of Canadian families buy take-out once a week!”

“Yeah, but if the price of basic food wasn’t so high think how much money people would have left over for take-out,” said Molly. “I mean think about how much more business Mabel could do.”

“Yeah but Mabel’s customers actually have to come to the Grill to pick up the food,” said Dave. “That’s too much work for a lot of people these days. They want somebody to bring the food right to their door.”

Molly started laughing. “That can be a problem,” she said. “Didya see about those people in Toronto who had a meal left on their doorstep but before they could get to it, the neighbourhood raccoons ate it.”

“Humph,” George grumbled when they stopped laughing. “I’ll bet feeding the raccoons gets added into the high cost of food, too!”◊

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Strangely enough, on our first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation I found myself at the former home of the “Indian agent” of the Cape Croker Reserve. The historic home is now a gorgeous B&B on the Bruce Peninsula. Indian agents (1870s – 1960s) were government representatives that enforced the Indian Act and oversaw the affairs of the Reserves; the house seemed as apt a place as any to reflect on both Truth and Reconciliation.

If only its walls could talk. I’d love to know what really happened there. My understanding of the Chippewas of Nawash and Saugeen Ojibway are based on hearsay or the internet. And I’ve become wary of believing anything these days.

How can we have Truth and Reconciliation in a post-truth world?

Post-truth was named Oxford Dictionary’s Word of the Year in 2016. It is like “truthiness”, which is a word made up by comedian Steven Colbert: “the belief in what you feel to be true.”

Fake news. Alternative facts. It’s normal for me to think I have the facts right and that it’s the other side that is making things up. But, these days, I can find facts to support whatever I feel like believing about the world. And (surprise surprise!) the ‘facts’ that come to me on my newsfeed confirm how I already feel about an issue.

“Opinion is really the lowest form of human knowledge; it requires no accountability, no understanding,” said Bill Bullard in a commencement speech. Ouch. So, this is me trying

to stop having opinions about issues.

Which is difficult, especially when I’m here writing an opinion column!

Seriously though, if someone wants to talk about the pandemic or vaccines, I wait to hear their opinion, and I simply agree with them so we can move on to the next subject as swiftly as possible. Early on when I would tell a person I didn’t have an opinion, it was often as an invitation for them to convince me of their precious version of the truth. Sigh.

But to tell a person I didn’t want to have an opinion AND that I didn’t care to hear theirs, well them’s be fightin’ words.

Still, agreeing with people just to keep the peace feels dishonest so, for what it's worth, here is my opinion: We won’t know the facts about COVID-19 or vaccines for at least a decade. Please respect my desire to take a rain check on the conversation.

Bullard continued his speech: “The highest form of knowledge … is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another’s world.” This makes me think that ignoring the muddy issues is just as irresponsible as contributing to the polarity.

What if, instead of dismissing or avoiding the conversations, I could just accept another’s experience of reality? And what if really listening to others could widen and improve my perspectives? I must keep asking myself, am I even willing to see things differently? If not, then (spoiler alert) I’m the problem.

You know that metaphor of the six blind men trying to understand an elephant? The one has his arms around a leg and says an elephant is a tree. The other has the tail and says it is a rope. And so on. You know where I’m going with this.

Only by really taking in each other’s experience will we get closer to the (elusive) truth. And of course, I’m bringing this back to the residential school system – a conversation that has had too long a rain check, in my opinion. No matter how uncomfortable it is for us to hear the abuse and experiences of survivors and their families, there is no opinion – only empathy – to be had.

Mel Luymes Rev. Stan McKay, a survivor himself, is quoted in the 2015 report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and he took my breath away. “[We cannot] perpetuate the paternalistic concept that only Aboriginal [sic] peoples are in need of healing…. The perpetrators are wounded and marked by history in ways that are different from the victims, but both groups require healing…. How can a conversation

about reconciliation take place if all involved do not adopt an attitude of humility and respect? … We all have stories to tell and in order to grow in tolerance and understanding we must listen to the stories of others.”

There it is again. Empathy. And from a direction I didn’t expect it to come.

At first glance I thought reconciliation was about becoming friends. Maybe that is part of it. But reconciling is also what I’m going to

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Coastal Coffee in a community church When they saw the Kintail Presbyterian church the Gingerich family knew this would not only be their new home, but would also house their coffee business

T

here’s a good vibe going on at Coastal Coffee near produced, sweet, well-processed and with a good body.

Kintail. It’s a kind of hippy, West Coast, vibe which “People artificially sweeten their coffee to make it is what owners Ben and Bri Gingerich are trying to enjoyable but our coffees do not need sugar,” explains Ben. cultivate.

Ben and Bri started selling coffee and brew out of the There are two Volkswagon vans outside the former back of their Volkswagen Westfalia at local farmer’s Presbyterian church, now home to the Gingerich family of markets. They opened a roastery in Zurich in 2014 and a five. Ducks, chickens and Guinea hens wander through the heirloom vegetable and flower gardens. There are little outbuildings here and there in a random formation. Plus, people are driving and cycling in and setting themselves down on picnic tables and chairs with their cups of fresh brewed, fresh roasted, Coastal Coffee.

“We are seeing more people come to the cafe than we ever dreamed,” says Ben. “We have become known as a culinary experience destination.”

More than that, he believes how Coastal Coffee has created a home-based business by maximizing Huron County Business grants, renovating existing architecture, creating value-added products, and promoting organic markets while capitalizing on the Ontario’s West Coast theme is an important example of a business model that can be successful in rural Ontario.

Much of Ben’s belief system was formed growing up on his parents’ organic mixed farm which became known for Gingerich Eggs. He headed to British Columbia for university and while there, fell in love with both his wife Bri and the specialty coffee that seemed to be available everywhere.

The couple returned to Huron County and missed the coffee scene so, as a hobby, Ben started roasting his own coffee in their home.

At the time, Ben worked at the Bluewater Detention Centre and Bri managed a salon.

When Bluewater closed, Ben was “forced” into following an interest he had already developed and scaled the coffee roasting business into a commercial operation, supplying restaurants The Coastal Coffee small batch roaster was imported from Turkey and and retail businesses. allows Ben Gingerich (above) to roast five kilos of beans per batch in a 12 During this time they travelled to countries minute roast profile, providing greater control over the roasting process. like Colombia and Costa Rica to search for premium, fair-trade, coffees. Ben said they • By Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot • looked for coffee beans that were sustainably

November 2021 17

few years later, decided to sell their property and search for a unique home to house Coastal Coffee and their three children -- Avery, Maeva and Boden.

This was a critical time because the family was asking a lot of one place. It had to be a home for the five of them with a small acreage (because they didn’t want to waste time mowing) but large enough for a garden and roastery.

The place needed a good septic system, a paved road and had to be close to a highway so they could build a destination culinary experience. Plus, they wanted the location and/or building to be unique.

Not expecting a lengthy search, they set up home in an Airstream camper and started looking for their dream home. Two years later, they were still looking. When the Presbyterian church came on the market, the family fell in love with it on sight. It was listed on a Friday and offers were already coming in over the weekend. Determined to have it, the Gingerich family wrote a letter explaining their intention for the church, offered over asking price and were the lucky bidders.

Then the work began. The existing septic system and heating system had to be replaced. The church had knob and tube writing and scanty insulation. Plus, since it was a church, it had to be redesigned to create a living space.

Before any of that could happen, the property had to be rezoned from a community facility to residential with a home-based business which required both an environmental and an archeological assessment. Setbacks were laid out because of the church’s proximity to a naturalized area, wind turbines and intensive agriculture.

Consultations with municipal staff, engineers, architects, builders and plumbers took months. The Gingerich family did not have a building permit in hand until November of that year.

Once work began, Ben and Bri wanted the renovations to align with their health-focused, organic, lifestyle.

Natural products were chosen including sheep wool for attic insulation and hemp batts for wall insulation. The walls were made with natural lime plaster versus drywall (except in the commercial space where drywall was a

Customers who drive to Kintail can order their coffee at the store/cafe (left) then sit outside on warm days and enjoy the ambience of the historic church and heirloom gardens. The Gingerich family (above, left to right) Bri, Boden, Maeva, Avery and Ben also lives in the church with bedrooms in the basement and living space in the sanctuary. The renovation process was extensive but the family kept as many architectural elements, such as the windows, as they could, to honour the history and memories of this church in the Kintail community.

18 The Rural Voice

requirement). They chose densified concrete to reduce chemical use.

All the while they rode the balance between functionality and honouring the church’s heritage features, such as the stained glass windows and interior lights. “This is a building that was open to the public for over 100 years,” says Ben. “We wanted to be considerate of the affinity the community has for the building.”

The actual roastery was set up in a shipping container beside the church. Termed a small-batch roastery, the actual roaster was imported from Turkey and roasts five kilos of beans per batch in a 12-minute The actual roastery is in a shipping roast profile. Small batches container on the property where means there is more control Ben Gingerich (right) roasts over the roasting process, imported beans such as Chalos explains Ben. He prefers light beans from Colombia. and medium roasts so that people can really taste the bean Colombia and Nicaragua to when drinking the coffee. Dark meet the farmers that grow roasting can create a “roast” taste that beans for their roastery. overpowers the bean taste.

One of their favourite By the summer of 2020, the farms is owned by Chalos couple was selling coffee at their and called Chalos Coffee. home/business, creating kitchen “This church was a gardens, adding chickens and community building for so homeschooling their three children. long. If people can meet Coastal Coffee continues to sell to here and have coffee with a restaurants, cafes and retailers while friend, then it is still a selling direct from the business and community space and opening the cafe on Fridays and that’s important to us,” Saturdays. Light pastries and coffeesays Bri. Last year, the related gifts are also available for family kept a campfire sale and they get about 300 people going during their open per week over eight hours in the hours and people would summer months. They are especially come in their snowsuits to excited about a new product called have a coffee outside the Traveller, which is an ecoduring the pandemic. friendly solution to plastic coffee The Gingerich family pods. Ben is hoping to market these make a good living selling coffee! in grocery stores across Canada.

Should anyone want to establish their With the stress of renovations own specialty coffee business, Ben largely behind them and a year’s says it takes time and while the cafe experience at the new location, the turns a profit, selling the roasted family can pinpoint what they really beans wholesale is the most enjoy about the business and their profitable part of the business. location.

Looking to the future, the couple “It’s important for us to support wants to grow the business to a the farmers where the coffee comes “sweet spot” where revenue supports from,” says Bri. Obviously, the their lifestyle. They hope the coffee beans are imported so the Traveller pods will really take off Gingeriches travel regularly to

and are excited about their social media presence.

“We also chose this location for quality of life for our family so our goal is to keep that balance, and not open the cafe full time,” adds Bri. Still, it’s meeting and having fun with their customers that reminds them how this all got started in the first place -- wanting to create a West Coast vibe in Huron County by serving excellent coffee. ◊

November 2021 19

Fruit

Marketing pick-your-own blueberries Using youth to design their social media presence, the Colcucs say it takes a complete marketing strategy to bring customers to a rural location

I

t was an energetic eight-month-old equivalent of “twothumbs-up” for a highly-successful inaugural Berrylicious Fruit Farm taste test.

“First fresh off-the-bush blueberry,” smiled young Gavin Allison’s mom, Brittany. “He’s pretty happy,” she continued, rewarding his enthusiasm with a second bright, blue-hued treat. “They definitely taste pretty good.”

The two had made the trip from the Ingersoll area along with aunt Dana Hammond, an excursion combining family, fruit and foraging. “A nice summer day,” Hammond summed up. “It’s like 15 minutes away, and blueberries are fun.”

Beyond each other’s company, the sisters enjoy both fresh and baked blueberries, part of dietary choices Brittany admits have been enhanced with the arrival of her son.

• By Jeff Tribe • “I eat better because of him.”

And while all three gave their stamp of approval to this blueberry variety, they were in the process of moving on to potentially “bluer’ pastures, testing out a selection or two from six additional options.

“We’re going to pick another variety to taste the difference,” Hammond explained.

In a nutshell – or berry basket – their outing sums up elements crucial to the Berrylicious brand: varied top-quality product within the value-added framework of a beautiful, indisputably rural setting and productive, enjoyable experience.

“We are passionate about our farm business every single day,” says co-owner Wendy Colcuc. “I hope that’s what people remember -- we are passionate about our products, providing a great experience, along with some agricultural awareness. These are the reasons we go to work each day."

“We want people to leave here satisfied and wanting to come back again,” added her life and business partner, husband Don. “That is the highest compliment people can pay to us.”

A desire to return to their own rural roots – she off a Simcoe County dairy farm, he from a fruit farm/tree nursery in the fruit-laden Niagara-On-The-Lake region – led them to purchase their 425533 Substation Road, Burgessville farm in 2002. Its sandy soil formerly grew tobacco, and surrounding woodlots provide an ideal microclimate for berry production.

They planted four acres of blueberries in 2004, a fifth in 2014 and cover them with netting in season to prevent bird predation. They have diversified with the addition of elderberries and raspberries. In conjunction with a transition from wholesale to direct-to-consumer marketing initiatives, they also grow pumpkins and other produce to support an Wendy Colcuc of Berrylicious Fruit Farm near Burgessville offers onsite market and seasonal forays to farmer’s markets six varieties of blueberries which customers can taste test to in Woodstock and London. choose their favourite variety. They also offer pick‐your‐own Their approach is quite literally “hands on” by elderberries (above) and raspberries.

20 The Rural Voice

either pick-your-own or employing an all-local, mainly teenaged labour force of between 30 and 35 for those who prefer to have their berries plucked for them.

“I’m not competing against the high-volume mechanical-harvested fruit from who knows where,” Don emphasizes. “It’s a hand-picked product, it’s a premium product. And there is no intention to compete.

They have their market and we have ours – there is room for everyone.”

But even the best product requires marketing, a challenge underlined by what conversely is a tangible Berrylicious strength, its comparatively isolated rural setting down a gravel byway.

“I feel with our rural location, we have to work that much harder to bring people out to the farm,” said Wendy. “Once they visit the farm and see how beautiful it is they’ll be back, but it is a challenge.”

Ensuring the best possible experience for returning customers while reaching out to potential newcomers is a multi-faceted challenge for the farm couple, who like many compatriots, share roles ranging through production to marketing and sales, which in a corporate environment would be filled by a numerically much larger cast of human resources.

Branding and communication are vital to the effort, says Wendy.

“We do it every step of the way.”

Beyond good, old-fashioned directional signage along paved roads at either end of their section of Substation, they have added a logoforward sign at the end of their lane, and high-quality full-colour printed material. Word-of-mouth can be a powerful tool not to be underestimated, says Wendy, including personal interaction with customers at farmers’ markets.

Berrylicious advertises on local radio stations in season and also has an active social media presence, including Facebook and Instagram (@berryliciousff).

There is no specific schedule for posting, says Wendy, although they have more of a presence in the space in season, cutting social media posts back to roughly once per week during the offseason. “Just to remind

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people we are still here.”

There is an effort to keep their material as fresh as their fruit, mixing content up. “We do have themes which we’ll use to help vary the posts,” said Wendy. “You don’t want to get stale.”

She adds the decision to transition responsibility for Berrylicious’ social media posts to young people was an undeniably beneficial one.

“They’re fast, they’re efficient and they just breathe new life into social media.”

A summer student also revamped their website (http://www. berryliciousfruit.ca) featuring seasonal information, recipes and videos in 2021, with similarly positive results.

Being active in social media is “pretty important”, says Wendy, as are Google reviews, where patrons can rank and post comments on their experience. There are people who may not visit their website, she says, “but they’ll see the Google reviews.”

The website and social media presence provide an effective and wide-ranging opportunity to connect with the public. “Having people share a message can be a very powerful tool,” says Wendy.

It also brings the potential for the public to directly message Berrylicious.

“The expectation is you’ll get back to them in a timely manner,” says Wendy. “It’s fantastic the places you can reach, but it is an extra layer and it’s constant, it’s constant during the season.” eaching out through various means to new and existing customers is constant and vital, however pride in product and attention to detail truly begins onsite, with the unique qualities of the “pick-your-own” experience.

“We personalize it when possible,” says Wendy, who greets many returnees by name, and takes newcomers into the berry patch herself when time allows, showing off and explaining the difference between two or three different sample varieties.

“After a taste test, they can pick the variety they like the best.”

Beyond the satisfaction of harvesting one’s own fruit, there are

R

22 The Rural Voice

Bluberries (right) draw repeat customers who find it fun to pick berries at Berrylicious Fruit Farm near Burgessville.

Owner Wendy Colcuc (above) says being self‐employed means owners wear many hats, including marketing, which has been a challenge to provide fresh material while still being efficient to fit in with all the other farm work.

the intangibles familiar to rural dwellers, far removed from many urban settings. “There is peace and quiet,” Don sums up. “No sirens going off, they can look around and see no other houses.”

Wendy believes there are calming attributes to repetitive berry picking motions, mental and physical benefits several groups of ladies, in particular, enjoy during an annual blueberry pilgrimage. “They consider this berry therapy,” she smiled, adding, “I think people appreciate the whole experience.”

It’s an opportunity formalized through Berrylicious’ Picnic In The Patch initiative, which evolved from a 2018 workshop offered through Oxford Tourism on experiential tourism. In broad terms, a “picnic” begins with an agricultural education tour hosted by Wendy, a taste test of around five varieties, picking a bucket of the preferred option and one of four picnic options in a designated private area, followed by vintage games for the guests, like a deck of cards, a bubble wand or a frisbee.

Picnic In The Patch is available six days of the week, attracting 40 groups in 2021.

“It’s growing,” said Wendy.

“People seem to enjoy some unplugged time with family and

friends.”

Berrylicious is also a foundational member of The Gravel Trail, a partnership with four very local businesses located five to seven minutes apart including Gunn’s Hill Cheese, Wild Comfort (Simply.natural.skincare) and Greener Pastures Eco Farm.

“It’s a real micro tour,” says Wendy, which runs Thursdays for 11 weeks from early July to mid September. It offers added value in both the sense participants can see, for example, a soap-making demonstration, and also make their day more varied and productive, more options for their drive, so to speak. It has also helped enhance what was a slower day for the host participants, through cooperation.

“And everyone benefits,” said Wendy.

There are definitely challenges in shifting from the thinner margins of the wholesale world into the value-added realm of branded, personalized

experience, innovation and modernization of the old adage around “selling the sizzle along with the steak.” It has not been easy for the Colcucs and their four children who are all involved in the operation.

Wendy says they have spent a decade building the business to its current position and look to continue to build on that – but the journey thus far has definitely been both rewarding and satisfying.

“It’s just what you do, you do it because you enjoy it,” said Don. “And we want to do it well,” Wendy concluded. ◊

Time is always a factor but Wendy and Don Colcuc (left) like to offer a personal experience for those visiting Berrylicious Fruit Farm near Burgessville so that visiting families with children (above) can learn about berries, taste different varieties and experience the calming “berry therapy” of berry picking. They offer a Picnic in the Patch initiative that combines eating and education.

November 2021 23

Environment

Conservation Authorities are ideally placed to build resiliency in nature to prevent future pandemic viruses

Healthy Watershed, Healthy People, Healthy Wildlife • By Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot

H

Dr. Justina Ray is the president and senior scientist with Wildlife Conservation Canada and is working with the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority to develop Healthy Watershed, Healthy People, Healthy Wildlife, a take on her ‘One Health’ program, to build resiliency and prevent future pandemic viruses

umans rediscovered nature during the pandemic and are making the link between the health of our natural system and humans which is why One Health, locally known as “Healthy Watershed, Healthy People, Healthy Wildlife” is gaining traction amongst both rural and urban dwellers.

Taking the lead on this connection is the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority (MCVA) which is working closely with Dr. Justina Ray, President and Senior Scientist with Wildlife Conservation Society Canada to make bridges between the health of the environment and health of people. Part of the goal is to reduce our vulnerability to pandemic viruses.

With 72 per cent of new viral disease outbreaks originating in wildlife, it’s the perfect time to assess the environmental determinants affecting human health. In a presentation made last December, Dr. Ray explained what One Health is and why this integrated approach is critical to making people and the environment more resilient to pandemics in the future.

To understand how wildlife and pandemics are connected it’s important to know the definition of zoonosis. Zoonoses are diseases that move between animals and humans. Some of those are viruses and scientists only understand a fraction of them, says Dr. Ray. “We only understand about 250 of the viruses that affect humans. The rest out there haven’t made the leap and normally, they won’t make that leap -- until they have the right constellation of factors to make that leap.”

24 The Rural Voice

In the particular constellation that led to SARS in 2003 and COVID-19 were wildlife markets in China, something Canada doesn’t have. In these markets, wild animals live in cages stacked one on top of each other in a way that would never occur in the wild. Occurring indoors, with a large human population in attendance, these conditions have led to at least two serious disease outbreaks.

Ultimately, it’s really the “ongoing destruction of nature that will result in these diseases jumping from animal to animal and then to humans,” explains Dr. Ray. Disruptions to ecosystems literally shakes viruses loose from their natural hosts so they have to search for a new host which, in a world growing in population, is often humans.

Plus, the increase and expansion of human activity is breaking down the natural buffer that once protected us, says Dr. Ray. In tropical countries where the virus jump is happening, country roads are penetrating into areas that had previously not seen human contact and forcing animals out of their environments.

Humans are, in effect, creating the situations leading to virus jumps. The Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) says nature is critical for human existence. Yet humans “devastate wildlife, we eliminate entire species and then at the same time we squeeze the rest into perverse and dangerous configurations and then we jeopardize our own health.”

Most of this is happening in tropical forest regions but

Europe and North America are not off the hook, says Dr. Ray. Canada has intensive agriculture, combined with high populations and land degradation. In Southern Ontario, the landscape has been hugely modified.

“Wetlands and forests are a shadow of what they used to be. Overall biodiversity of the region has been vastly simplified and homogenized,” says Dr. Ray. North America’s poster child of emerging diseases is Lyme disease which is connected to deforestation.

Lyme disease comes from bacteria on ticks that rely on deer to survive as well as such species as the white-footed mouse which thrives in forests fragmented by agriculture.

Lyme disease isn’t a pandemic but is a “slow-moving problem that can collectively lead to bigger problems over time,” says Dr. Ray. It’s almost impossible to stop what’s happening to the planet so the goal is to “improve resilience” globally and locally. Ironically, the pandemic has underscored the importance of the environment for human well-being. As people explored nature, they experienced the physical, psychological and mental benefits of being outdoors.

Dr. Ray says the global response needs to be in preventing the next pandemic via stopping the wildlife trade, wildlife consumption and destroying nature. Locally, building resilience includes safeguarding nature in a stable ecosystem with sustainable resources.

The MCVA has long been a protector of waterways and moving forward, water quality will remain a prime concern. Encouraging farmers and landowners to think of nature as an asset, promoting best management practices, mapping, conservation, protection of biodiversity, watershed monitoring and creating functional ecosystems will all be part of the process.

Phil Beard, General Manager of the MVCA, explained that many people in southern Ontario aren’t familiar with the One Health concept,

which is why the MVCA has coined it Healthy Watershed, Healthy People, Healthy Wildlife. One of the first goals of this action plan is assessing forest health, a vital tenet of this vision.

As mentioned, forest fragmentation contributes to the spread of lyme disease so at a very real level, protecting forests can protect the health of all the pandemic-driven nature seekers who have been walking in the woods.

Dan Crouse, who works with Dr. Ray says people are really starting to

grasp how the health of the forest affects microbial health of the soil, which in turn affects the microbes in our gut. “It isn’t just hippie stuff anymore. We know that kids that play in nature are healthier because of that connection.”

As One Health and Healthy Watershed, Healthy People, Healthy Wildlife move forward, it will require a team effort including public health units, the agricultural community, government and individuals to really make a difference. ◊

Above, top. In October, MVCA hosted a tour of the watershed to discuss the One Health approach with (left to right) Clint Jacobs, Natural Heritage Coordinator with Walpole Island First Nations; Dan Kraus and Dr. Justina Ray of the Wildlife Conservation Society of Canada; Erin Gouthro, a Watershed Ecologist with MVCA and Ted Briggs, the Great Lakes Advisor for Lake Huron, Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks. Above: In her presentation to the Maitland Conservation Authority about the One Health program, Dr. Justina Ray incorporated the top slide which gives a visual of the comprehensive approach of One Health and reveals how environmental health, human health and animal health overlap. Group photo by Phil Beard.

November 2021 25

Environment

Couple creates an Ecobubble life

Creating an ecobubble involves creating Gabe and Deborah Caira have exchanged the urban life for a rural one on Harlock Line in Huron County where they have constructed a geodesic dome “ecobubble” to serve as a greenhouse for vegetables. everal years ago Gabe and Deborah Caira looked at a property southeast of Blyth and saw their home.

They also saw a space they could turn into The Ecobubble: a biologically diverse space into which they could grow.

They purchased the property on Harlock Line, which included the former rural Hullett schoolhouse SS. No. 6.

They have renovated the building and worked the lot extensively, transforming it into a space where they could live, grow produce and, eventually, welcome visitors and teach them about their experiences.

Deborah, who grew up in the Kincardine area, and Gabe, who was born and raised in Toronto, moved to the area from Toronto. Years ago, Deborah moved to Toronto where she met Gabe. They eventually married and lived on a small lot in the urban centre. There, they grew

S

26 The Rural Voice

meadows and adopting a universal no-kill policy • By Denny Scott produce, which they shared with their neighbours and friends. After Gabe retired, however, they wanted more space to accommodate more growth.

Gabe, a retired IT professional who worked for the City of Toronto, and Deborah, who managed the Queen West Animal Hospital, turned their eyes to Huron County and discovered what would be their new home. They bought the property three years ago, but had to renovate the schoolhouse before they could move in March of 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

The goal, Deborah said, was to create something similar in function to what they had in Toronto. At their Toronto

urban garden, they welcomed a number of animals and insects that otherwise may not have been there.

The same has happened at their new home, she said. With the addition of gardens, trees and a nearly-universal no-kill policy (with LDD moths, formerly known as gypsy moths, and insects that feed on or bite humans being exempt from the policy), she said they have created a similar biome.

Due to the permaculture practices (which focus on sustainability and biodiversity), she said, they have welcomed a plethora of new animal species, birds and insects, which all become part of their “bubble”, so she feels responsible for them.

“We’ve seen hundreds of honeybees, many different kinds of birds, owls, red chipmunks and red squirrels which we didn’t see before,” Deborah said. “We’re creating a tiny ecosystem here.”

The whole idea, Gabe said, is based on the couple liking to leave things better than they found them, and since the property was very much a blank canvas, he and Deborah were able to quickly adapt the space to provide biodiversity.

Deborah said that work will continue with 50 to 60 per cent of the grass converted into meadowlands as she works with Ontario native plants to promote growth and attract animals.

“The goal is to protect the space and to make it lush,” she said.

Gardening provides much of what the couple eats and shares, but to continue that in the winter, they needed to find a solution, the couple said.

In a serendipitous turn of events, the couple found, in their search for a greenhouse to provide year-round food, a company called Arctic Acres (arcticacres.ca) that builds geodesic dome greenhouses, giving their farm, The Ecobubble, a fittinglyshaped greenhouse that has made the couple’s half acre an even more unique spot for visitors.

Gabe said the requirements for a greenhouse that would help them become more self-sufficient included standing up to the heavy snow and high winds that sweep through the rural countryside of

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November 2021 27

Huron County. Fortunately, Arctic Acres’ geodesic domes are able to provide that.

“We built the dome in February and, within three weeks, we were eating produce out of it,” Deborah said. “Our hope is just to grow food all through the winter.”

The dome has met their needs wonderfully, Deborah said, and has been a unique experience to create and operate.

Part of the dome holds an 1,100gallon tank of water, which operates as a heatsink for the structure, Gabe said. In the summer, it helps to cool the space, while in the winter it helps to keep it warm, and with a recently-introduced school of tilapia fish, the water can be used to hydrate plants throughout the winter as the fish create a healthy ecosystem in the water.

The dome has also provided a great conversation-starter with neighbours, the couple said, with Gabe adding that they’ve even been fostering new relationships between neighbours as they welcomed outdoor visitors to their property.

The greenhouse has even garnered the attention of York University in Toronto whose representatives, through Arctic Acres, contacted the Cairas about having students attend their new home. The hope is that the Cairas could share what they’ve learned, starting from scratch, and the students can learn about the project and the techniques being used and help to further the school’s green project, Project Climate Change: York University’s Climate Solutions Park.

The Cairas have welcomed a student with a deep understanding of compost, who helped around the farm, and the coordinator of the UREAL program, a work-integrated learning project at York university, who is well-versed in videography who wanted to document what was happening at the site.

Deborah explained that, aside from the greenhouse, the rest of their gardens, 11 in total, follow what’s called Hugelkultur, which literally translates to hill culture.

Through chopping up a felled maple tree that was on their 28 The Rural Voice

property, Deborah and Gabe were able to build raised gardens over top of compost pits. Using the logs of the maple tree, clippings, compost materials and even cardboard (anything that decomposes, Deborah said), the Cairas created what Gabe calls “soil lasagna” that helps gardens persist without regular watering.

“I haven’t had to water for six weeks now,” Deborah said, during the late-summer interview. “The

wood and other materials compost on their own and retain the water.”

The couple has also built a “glamping” space on their property featuring an outhouse-style composting toilet and a bunkie for visitors.

When it’s complete, the space will welcome visitors and friends from Toronto, students working on the aforementioned York University project and others. During the winter, Deborah says the space will

The Ecobubble stand at the rural Huron County property of Gabe and Deborah Caira sells produce raised in their geodesic dome as well as what’s grown in 11 gardens that follow Hugelkultur, which means “hill culture” when translated.

be a cold cellar.

PRODUCE SHARE One of the first interactions that Deborah and Gabe have had with some of the people in the area was after they started sharing their produce.

Deborah says there is no greater feeling than feeding someone, so, when it came time to harvest their produce, she started giving it away through a farmgate stand on their property. She shared the idea online and it has really taken off.

People have been using the space and enjoying the produce, but also bringing their own and trading, Deborah said.

Gardeners often tackle their passion not out of a desire to get rich, but for the challenge, Gabe said, and the byproduct of that is having a lot of produce to share.

For now, the produce is free, but Deborah said in the winter they may need to start charging to offset the cost of growing in the greenhouse.

For the meantime, however, she’s happy to share and meet people through the farmgate.

The couple said they’re blessed to be able to pursue their projects without relying on them for a livelihood, but Gabe says, if they worked at it, they would likely be able to.

The offerings at the produce stand are varied, Deborah said, as she is experimenting to find out exactly what grows well in Huron County.

For example, she said, she’s found that artichokes grow well here and they suffer from few pests.

She has also found that some of the more intense storms can have damaging impacts on the property, which has led to some changes being made throughout the season.

Regardless of challenges like that, she and Gabe are enjoying being a part of the community and, with the easing of restrictions on the public due to COVID-19, they are looking forward to meeting more of their neighbours and expanding their presence in the community.

For more information, visit ecobubble.ca, e-mail the Cairas at ecobubble@ecobubble.ca or look for the organization on Facebook. ◊

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November 2021 29

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A Winter

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November 2021 31

It’s Local, It’s Gouda, It’s Good!

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32 The Rural Voice

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34 The Rural Voice

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Recipes by Carolyn Crawford

Make a war cake to reflect on wartime food

W

hen I think of November food, alongside of apples and ways to prepare them, I also think of wartime food.

November is the perfect month to reflect upon how those who lived during the war were fed and nourished.

In April 2017, I was fortunate to represent the Culinary Historians of Canada (CHC) when we went to Vimy, France, to demonstrate wartime food as served on the frontlines and as it was served here in Canada on the home front. My CHC partner on this project was Sherry Murphy. Afterwards, she and I travelled all over Ontario to talk about the foods served during World War I. One of the things we made for our presentations and served up in abundance was Canadian War Cake.

This dense, rich recipe can be found

on page 92 of The Allied Cookery Book published in 1916 by two Canadian home economists, Grace Clergue Harrison and her sister, Gertrude Clergue. The cookbook contains recipes from the five Allied countries: France, Russia, Belgium, Britain (including Canada), and Italy.

Canadian War Cake was the Clergue sisters’ original recipe as it was designed to use brown sugar over white, and it was butter less (the use

of leftover meat drippings was encouraged), eggless, and milk less.

Canadian War Cake Ingredients: 2 cups brown sugar 2 cups hot water 2 tablespoons lard (or fat drippings) 1 pound raisins, cut once, 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon cloves.

Above, left: Plump raisins after boiling five minutes will “sheet” or pour thickly off the spoon. Chill completely at this point. Mixture will thicken more as it cools and forms the moist base for the batter. Above, right: My Grandma's Tea Biscuits listed at the top of the page of her manuscript cookbook dated February 5, 1917. She also had a War Cake recipe. Included in this photo is her sifter, round biscuit cutter, a biscuit jar like hers and her Hoosier cabinet.

November 2021 35

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36 The Rural Voice

Exeter

Hanover

Stratford

Cameron Charlton 519-235-0467

Dalia Hopcraft 519-364-2523

Jim Mezei 519-271-8015

Joel Bishop 519-235-0269

HarrisonTodd 519-364-2358

Josh Coffey 519-274-0902

Recipes Directions: Boil these ingredients for five minutes after they begin to bubble.

When cold, add one teaspoon soda dissolved in one teaspoon of hot water and three cups of flour.

Bake in two loaf pans for 45 minutes in a slow oven.

(Author’s note: Slow oven is about 325°F, and the cake takes longer than an hour even if done in the suggested 9”x5”x2” loaf pans. You must also grease the From EAT MORE FISH published by the order of The Food Controller for Canada from pans with butter (or lard) the office of the King's Printer, Ottawa, September 20, 1917. and line them with parchment paper or you whole wheat flour were also advised turn dough onto board or countertop will have difficulty removing the to be consumed. My paternal that has been dusted with flour. loaves from the pans.) grandmother made tea biscuits for Gently knead the dough just This recipe keeps and travels well most of her 86 years of life. I am enough to mix in any loose flour. without spoiling. Women’s Institute certain she developed this habit in Use a rolling pin to roll the dough groups would bake these cakes in tin her early days on the farm. She also to approximately ¾ inch thick. cans and send them along with had a war cake recipe and another With a small round cookie cutter, knitted socks in a care package to WWI favourite — the butter tart in cut dough into biscuits and place on soldiers overseas. her manuscript cookbook dated an ungreased 9" x 13" aluminum pan. here was no direct rationing in February 5, 1917. Here is her biscuit If desired for more browning, WWI but there were definite recipe: brush biscuits with a little milk. suggestions that everyone Tea Biscuits Place pan on middle rack in the should do their bit and cut back on Adapted from Ethel Cook’s oven and bake for approximately 15 their use of white flour, white sugar, Manuscript Cookbook minutes. Biscuits are done when dairy products, eggs, and meat.

Yield: About 15 biscuits evenly browned on top.

Canada was the world’s leading ar time food changed our Ingredients: supplier of a newly introduced perception of self 4 cups all-purpose flour (Grandma Marquis wheat and other agricultural nourishment. We began to called this 1 sifter of flour) products. It was a rare, prosperous think in terms of filling ourselves 1 teaspoon salt time for Canadian farmers as wheat with extras that were not just meat, 1 teaspoon baking soda tripled in value during WWI. potatoes, and vegetables. More 2 teaspoons cream of tartar Recipes developed by home thought was put into the economic ¼ cup butter economists during WW1 were qualities of meals as well. Canning ¼ cup lard purposely designed to have more and preserving were taught by home 1½–2 cups whole milk filler and carbohydrates. W. J. economists to conserve and put food Flour for dusting Hanna, the Food Controller for by for harder times.

Directions: Canada, encouraged the consumption However, war time foods also had Preheat oven to 450°F. of fish in a wartime booklet entitled a negative impact on how we eat Measure and stir together flour, EAT MORE FISH which included today. These cost-efficients meals salt, baking soda and cream of tartar recipes like loaves or croquettes introduced more carbohydrates to our into a large mixing bowl. made from canned salmon combined diet than meat-based meals had Work in butter and lard — you with breadcrumbs, crackers, or offered before. This became more may use all lard or all butter or a oatmeal, chopped onions and celery. amplified after WWII when our food combination of both — with a pastry To stretch the meal further, a white was rationed and for two consecutive blender. sauce could be poured over top. generations, we became more Make a well in the centre of bowl Items served with meals for filler dependent on carbohydrates and and pour in milk, ½ cup at a time. such as tea biscuits or Johnny cake more processed foods. The rest they Stir to gently blend ingredients (corn bread) particularly if they used say is history! ◊ together, and when too hard to stir,

T

W

November 2021 37

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

Wintering those bulbs Bulb storage is always a tricky business; striking the right humidity, the right packing materials and of course, remembering the right time to haul them out and get them started up again in the spring.

Growing up in the 1960s we used red canna lily bulbs in a feature garden. They were stored in newspaper in the cold room along with apples, potatoes and preserves.

As a teenager I was much enamored with dahlias and had a wonderful collection of dinner plate ones, bright yellow and red, the pride of my young garden. But my careless handling of them, putting them in paper and into a green garbage bag was to be my downfall. My Poppa came over one Saturday to haul household garbage away, fall cleanup, and also hauled my bag of bulbs too. I did not notice for some time they were gone! Beware green garbage bags, and who knows if they would have survived.

The price of bulbs, tubers and tender rhizomes varies and I think most of us would rather save the bulbs for the following season rather than buy them again. If you did not like the results, colour etc. you could always donate them to your local horticultural club for their spring sale.

Klaus fell in love with a bright yellow canna a few years ago. We crowded four into two large planters then last year we had so many that we donated about a dozen all potted up and ready for summer planting.

So what is the best way to store summer bulbs that will not withstand our winter cold? The first step is to figure out just where you are going to store them before you go to all the 38 The Rural Voice

trouble of digging up and preparing them. The cold room idea still holds for those who have one. The next best place would be a corner of an unfinished basement that is not heated or along the inside wall of a garage that is attached to the house provided it does not freeze. Our garage has a back stairwell into the basement. The bottom of this well works if bulbs are wrapped and sheltered. We have a sump pump room and since this part of Goderich was built on a swamp, the pump is relatively busy. The room is a tad warmer than I would like but the humidity is perfect.

Once you have found the location, the next step is letting the plants know it is time to beef up, prepare for a storage sleepy time. Let them feel the fall air; some will take a very light frost but be careful you do not let them freeze. Reduce watering as the temperature drops. I let my

Learning to store dahlia bulbs can be a hit or miss mission but the general rule of thumb is don’t let them freeze, don’t let them dry and don’t store them wet or they will rot.

cannas take one hit of light frost and then move them into a sheltered area to let the foliage start drying out.

Once I don’t see any lush green, I cut back the tops to about two inches and lift them from the pots onto newspapers to continue drying out a bit more. One of your worst problems can be too much moisture, which encourages rot to set in. It does not take long before all your bulbs are beyond salvaging.

Packing is the next challenge. My brother had some stunning white dahlias last summer and carefully stored them in peat moss in their cold room. Imagine his surprise when he pulled out mummified tubers that could not be revived with a bit of tepid water. No buds, no bulbs. So what happened? Dry peat moss wants to naturally hydrate. Which is why when you add it to your garden you should wet it a bit in a large wheelbarrow before working it into the ground around your plants. In this case the very dry peat moss strove to strike a balance and absorbed the moisture from the bulbs rather than protecting the bulbs. (And immediately the image of the peat bog man comes to mind! You would have to look up the famed bog bodies from the Bronze Age preserved in peat bogs.)

I store our bulbs in large plastic crates with flip top lids. I put a healthy couple of inches of shredded newspaper in the bottom and stack the tubers etc. in. Half dozen or so sheets of newspaper are laid over the top and the lid is popped closed. I have used cardboard boxes and wooden crates on some occasions.

The key here is how much dirt you leave on, which holds a certain amount of moisture, and to check after the first few weeks to make sure there is not too much moisture for the paper to handle. You will quickly see mold and maybe a few critters if you have left too much soil or moisture around the tubers/bulbs. An easy fix is to leave the container open and try and remove some of the soil or soggy papers. All that being said, I have run out of time in the past and simply pulled the pots in and popped them into storage without dislodging the

Gardening tubers. It was a bit of a mess the next spring but, hey, it worked.

I spoke to Anita Hansen this fall.

Anita has some gorgeous dahlias and her advice was trial and error. She advised talking with other gardeners to learn what works best for them.

She knocks the excess dirt off her bulbs and stacks them in large pots with potting soil on bottom and top before storing them in her basement.

Hers is an older basement and she advises the bulbs will take some “babysitting” before you understand your own storeroom conditions.

Some gardeners use vermiculite around their bulbs and others use brown paper bags and peat moss.

Be sure to check your bulbs in storage long before you think you need to. I peek under the newspaper cover at the end of January, and February, easing some of the tubers aside and pinching some to make sure they are still firm. The growth nodes should be evident in March for potting time end of that month in preparation for an early, mature entrance into the garden. ◊

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News

New app can track field conditions and provide crop solutions

O

nce the crops are off and winter has set in, farmers will have time to explore a free, new app that can help them crop more effectively.

The Resilient Fields app allows users to create a record of current field conditions and agronomic practices while exploring solutions to resolve specific challenges in four major areas: • soil management • nutrient management • growing season management • water management The program was launched in August by the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFFO) and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) and is available as a free online tool. Resilient Fields offers access to over 50 up-to-date articles and videos from Ontario researchers and agronomists. It also links to other digital tools such as the OMAFRA Agri-Suite system. 4R Nutrient Stewardship, the Ontario Corn Nitrogen Calculator and the Farmland Health Checkup.

CFFO began development of this project in 2019. Resilient Fields is funded by the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the CFFO and the OFA. “Technology is key to helping Ontario’s agri-food sector thrive and grow and I applaud CFFO efforts to provide farmers with the latest tools to manage their operations,” said Toby Barrett, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, who attended the app’s launch.

“Collaborations like these demonstrate how the agricultural sector, government and the tech industry can work together to develop user-friendly resources that provide farmers with science-based knowledge.”

“Resilient Fields fills a gap in Ontario agronomic tools,” said CFFO president Ed Scharringa. “It can be a challenge for farmers to find information that is geared specifically to Ontario farming and 40 The Rural Voice

The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFF0) and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) have launched a free online tool to help farmers find sustainable solutions for their farm fields. field conditions. This new tool will enable farmers and advisors to access the latest science and resources, helping them make decisions with sustainability in mind.”

“Resilient Fields will be a valuable tool for Ontario farmers who are constantly seeking best

management practices for their business,” said OFA president Peggy Brekveld. “This tool offers various resources to help our farmers work through issues in the field in any unique situation.”

Resilient Fields can be explored at resilientfields.ca. ◊

Fostering food literacy with AgScape materials

D

uring Ontario Agriculture Week in October, three organizations created three opportunities for families and schools to teach food literacy.

AgScape, Farm and Food Care Ontario and 4-H Ontario each developed activities and resources to teach modern food production and agriculture.

These resources include: • Virtual Food and Farm Field Trips: Available until June 2022, youth will be guided through all aspects of both apple farming and egg production. Videos can be found at https://agscape.ca/events • Teacher Resource Packages for Grades K-12: Elementary and secondary school teachers can order special resource packages complete with curriculum-linked lesson plans and materials appropriate for each grade.

• Teacher Ambassador Program: Educators can invite an AgScape Teacher Ambassador into their class

to deliver a virtual lesson on a range of topics related to agriculture and food. The food literacy program is offered to grades 7-12.

Agscape is a charitable organization providing objective, fact-based and curriculum-linked resources to Ontario schools on agriculture, food production, environmental sustainability and related topics.

Agscape was created in 1991 with the mission to empower Ontario students with impartial and accurate information to increase awareness of the agri-food system and ignite interest in related careers.

For more information on the resources offered, contact Jordan Sloggett, Marketing and Communications Manager, AgScape: communications@agscape.ca or 905878-1510 ext. 310. ◊

Crops

Crop farmers say “We’ve Got it Covered!”

Signs recognize work by farmers to protect soil and water

By Tim Cumming Communications Specialist Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority his autumn watch for signs in the Bayfield and Lake Huron tributary watersheds that declare ‘We’ve Got it Covered!’

These signs have been placed along fields where cover crops (e.g., Clover; Radish; Ryegrass; Sunflower) have been planted earlier in the year.

Cover crops are crops which cover the soil in between cropping seasons.

In this area, cover crops are often planted after wheat and are left in the ground over the winter. Keeping the ground covered during this time helps reduce wind and water erosion during large storm events and snow melts. In turn, this keeps valuable soil out of creeks, rivers and Lake Huron. Reduced erosion is just one benefit of cover crops. In addition to this, they can add organic matter, reduce nutrient losses, improve fertility, reduce compaction and aid in water management depending on what species are planted.

The aim of this campaign, which was adapted after one that took place in New Hampshire, is to recognize farmers who are making these efforts on their land, and to encourage others to think about how they could use cover crops in their operations.

“Cover crops help producers protect and improve their soil, and in doing so, the water they protect benefits everyone,” said Hope Brock, Health Watersheds Technician with Ausable Bayfield Conservation.

Thanks to funding from the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, landowners in the Bayfield and Lake Huron tributary watersheds were eligible for an enhanced cost-share Cover Crop Boost Program that offered $30 per acre, up to 100 acres, for planting

T

Marg Kroes has placed one of the new “We’ve Got it Covered” signs in a field of cover crops on her Clinton‐area farm. cover crops. This program could also be paired with funding from the Huron County Clean Water Project, which provided an additional $15 per acre. In total, more than 2,000 acres of cover crops were planted through the Boost Program.

“We are pleased to see so many producers interested in planting cover crops and it has been great to be able to support them in doing so,” said Brock. \ Interested in cover crops, but not sure where to start? You may contact your local cover crop seed supplier

(www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crop s/resource/covercrp.htm), talk to your neighbour, or contact your certified crop advisor.

You may also want to use the cover crop decision tool here: http://decision-tool.incovercrops.ca If you are a farmer planting cover crops in the Bayfield and Lake Huron tributary watersheds, and you would be interested in a sign on your farm, please contact Hope Brock at Ausable Bayfield Conservation at hbrock@abca.ca or toll-free 1-888286-2610, extension 246. ◊

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November 2021 41

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

Fertilizer production is an energy hog Energy markets have been booming higher. Coal, oil, natural gas and heating oil are all in tight supply, and shortages are occurring throughout the world. The energy complex has seen dramatic price swings over the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic times. From the gargantuan drop in oil consumption to the surging prices today, the demand for energy has been either boom or bust in recent times.

The dramatic price decline in fossil fuel commodities experienced

42 The Rural Voice

earlier on in the pandemic, coupled with the common public view that fossil fuel demand will rapidly decline with the advent of clean energy, has caused energy exploration and extraction capability to slow. As the world has begun to see a return to normalization of energy consumption, the effects of the lack of production capacity in the energy sector has created an imbalance between increasing demand and inability (and in some cases unwillingness) to increase sufficient supply. With increasing scarcity the market rallies to ration available supplies, and to encourage further production increases.

In India, electrical power generation is under severe strain, as coal supplies are extremely low.

India’s power minister has been quoted as saying that he is not comfortable with India’s energy supply for the next six months, and electrical production will be “touch and go”. To demonstrate his concern, consider the coal generators registered with the central electrical authority in India. Any plant with less than an eight-day supply is

considered to be in a critical supply shortage. Of their plants, at this time, 41 plants have up to one-day coal inventory, 50 plants have two-tofour-day inventory, 17 have five-toseven-day inventory and 27 have an eight-day or greater supply.

In China it is much the same story, with electrical demand outstripping the available energy supply to generate the power. China is the largest buyer of natural gas in the world. Of countries in Europe, Germany is the world’s third biggest buyer, Italy fifth, France sixth, the Netherlands ninth, Britain 10th and Spain 12th. In China, as it is in some regions of Europe, because natural gas is simply not available, there has been a forced substitution towards oil feedstock at electrical facilities in an attempt to keep the lights on.

There are estimates that expect oil demand has jumped by five million barrels per day to make up for the natural gas shortfall. The result is that oil prices have climbed over $80 per barrel. This level has not been reached since November 2014. But it doesn’t seem that the market is rationed at this level and prices will most likely continue to trend higher.

OPEC has predicted that demand will outstrip production by 1.2 million barrels per day in October and about 900 thousand barrels per day in November.

What is China doing in light of these higher prices? They need energy and therefore they are continued buyers. In fact Beijing has ordered state-owned energy companies to secure supplies for the upcoming winter “at all costs”. The situation is somewhat similar in the U.S., where heating oil supplies are registered at a 21-year low.

Farming is an energy-intensive process, and therefore higher prices trickle down significantly to the farm level. Naturally we understand that diesel costs will be much higher with the increase in crude oil prices, and drying costs will be higher due to the substantial jump in natural gas prices.

Natural gas has more than doubled since June. But even more significant will be the rising cost of fertilizer.

Fertilizer production is an energy hog, especially in the production of nitrogen. To demonstrate this point,

Markets consider that 80 per cent of the carbon emitted to produce a wheat crop is due to fertilizer usage. Where is an abundance of the world fertilizer produced? Again, we go back to China which is the leading exporter of phosphate and urea. The Chinese government has hinted that if the production of fertilizer is not sufficient due to the coal shortages they will ban the exportation of fertilizer to maintain adequate supplies for their growers at home.

But it’s not just China that has had issues in trying to keep fertilizer supplies adequate. The U.S. gulf had to shut off gas supplies to ammonia producing facilities due to complications and damage from Hurricane Ida recently.

While there is more to consider in regard to planting intentions than just the cost of energy and therefore fertilizer prices, it is necessary to recognize that this input is influential when growers consider their crop rotations into next year. From this there is some thought that the U.S. will see lower planted acres of corn into next season. If this lower planted acreage comes to fruition then corn prices could be supported as total production would be lowered overall.

Also with higher energy prices ethanol production should be well supported, adding support to corn values. But to temper this bullishness, demand seems to be waning into the export markets, notably into China. Brazilian production is expected to balloon from 86 million metric this year – to 118 million metric tons, anticipated to recover from this year’s production fiasco. ◊

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Woodlots quality is maintained. Many times, I have had people tell me that anyone can put paint on trees, and yes, that is very true.

However, when we are tree marking we are not just painting trees. When we mark a tree for removal, we are determining I have a renewed interest in what the future spreading the word as I have just forest will look like completed my Tree Marking Auditor and striving to make certification for recertification. To it better, healthier, maintain your Tree Marking more productive and certificate in Ontario you must take a diverse. refresher course to prove your These refresher Learning to mark trees for removal is an intense process competency every five years. courses are the most To mark trees on Crown Land in stressful training that requires a week‐long Tree Marking Course and Ontario, you must be a certified Tree situations that I have then three‐day recertification courses every five years. understanding of how forests grow Marker. In some counties the tree ever been in. There is a lot of science and the practice of silviculture that conservation by-laws also state that involved in selecting which tree to we have today. For those that are the tree marking must be done by a mark. Foresters, landowners, forest new to the term, silviculture can certified tree marker unless marked technicians, biologists, farmers, simply be referred to as the art and by the property owner. Employers ecologists, and many other forest science of cultivating and growing may also require tree markers to be practitioners have all provided trees. This is, loosely, the definition certified to ensure that marking information that has led us to the that I was taught in college. A dictionary is sure to give a much MAITLAND CONSERVATION’s 2022 more in-depth definition if you would like more detail.

Forests have been researched and managed for way over a hundred years; much of this research is well documented. While ongoing studies It’s time to plan your spring planting project. are being completed around the globe to update our understanding of proper forest management, the 2022 Tree and Shrub Orders - A variety of tree and shrub historical knowledge is updated to species are now available to purchase for spring 2022. ensure that the best actions are Large stock and seedlings may be ordered. For information recommended. During this time of a and an order form visit our website at mvca.on.ca or email changing climate, we must be Greg Urquhart,ForestryTechnician,at trees@mvca.on.ca. mindful that while practices from the Order Deadline: January14,2022 past were very effective, they may Planting Services - Interested in undertaking a windbreak, not be in the future. I have spent watercourse buffer or block planting but not sure where to many years working in forestry and I start? Maitland Conservation staff are available to assist follow relevant scientific news so it you with your planting project. Staff will work with you to is always shocking to see the determine the best planting options for your property and surprise on people’s faces when they identifypotential funding opportunities. hear that there are studies being done on some aspect of forestry.

GRANTS AVAILABLE for some planting When a forest practitioner decides projects! Call for details. that they would like to become a certified Tree Marker they sign up Greg Urquhart, Forestry Technician for the Ontario Tree Marking Course [e] trees@mvca.on.ca [w] mvca.on.ca [t] 519-335-3557 ext. 235 that is only available through a joint [f] 519-335-3516 effort of the Ontario Ministry of Donna Lacey is a forester with the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority

Tree markers need to envision the future forest

Tree Planting Programs

44 The Rural Voice

Woodlots Natural Resources, the Canadian Institute of Forestry, and Forests Ontario. I believe that this course is still close to a week in length. During the course, the instructors will ensure that all candidates are well versed in relevant forest legislation, tree identification, tree insect and disease issues, and of course silviculture and silviculture systems used in management. All candidates must pass a tree defect test, written test, and a practical tree marking test.

The tree defect test has candidates follow a trail of numbered trees. The task is to identify the tree species, whether the tree will decline over the next 10 years, if the tree has a defect present, what type of defect it is and what does that defect indicate. Some tree defects cause little harm while others cause heart rot or other detrimental issues.

One of the topics that is covered in the course’s exam is the management of forests ensuring that all Areas of Concern are established and boundaries are respected. Areas of Concern may be put in place for many reasons which can include the protection of species of concern, the protection of ecosystems, the protection of habitats, the protection of socio-economic concerns, and the protection of cultural interests.

For the completion of the practical marking test all candidates are assigned a plot of numbered trees. In this plot candidates must determine the tree species, whether the tree will decline within the next 10 years, the overall area covered in trees, which trees (if any) should be marked for removal, and if there are any wildlife habitat opportunities.

To be successful, candidates must achieve a minimum of 80 per cent on each aspect of this training course.

Candidates that have achieved the minimum of 80 per cent on each part of the course have passed but are still not certified Tree Markers.

To become certified, these successful candidates must then mark at least 10 acres of forest and be audited on their marking by a certified Tree Marking Auditor. To be successful in this tree marking audit, the candidate must score a minimum of 93 per cent.

For the refresher course, we Certified Markers are once again presented with up-to-date scientific information and legislation. Over our three-day course we will listen and learn, be tested on defects, and complete a written exam. This is all very similar to the initial certification course. This round I chose to attempt to become a Tree Marking Auditor instead of simply refreshing. I look forward to the opportunity to help new Markers become certified.

What makes this so stressful is

that there is a lot of science behind the decisions that tree markers make, but it is still quite subjective. When I walk the defect test, will I see the trees the same way that the instructor did? Is there a stick nest or cavity hiding way up in the canopy? Is that odd looking spot a fungal scar? Is that a nine-degree lean or eleven?

There are so many questions and high hopes for success. Luckily for me, the refresher course is held in late fall so at least I don’t have my fear of snakes distracting me. ◊

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

When is a farm a farm in the family law context?

The question of what constitutes a farm is one that arises in many different legal contexts. Farms as properties and businesses often attract special treatment under the law and it is not always obvious that a given property or business qualifies for the special treatment. There is no onesize-fits-all definition for a “farm” or “farming” that applies in all circumstances. In previous articles, I’ve reported on a decision of the Normal Farm Practices Protection Board related to bulk centralized biosolid fertilizer storage, an Assessment Review Board decision on how many hives must be kept by a beekeeper to qualify for the Farm Property Class Tax Rate Program, and an Ontario Labour Relations Board decision on the farm worker exemption in Ontario’s labour laws.

All of these decisions involved the question of whether a farm was still a “farm” within a particular legal context.

A judge of the Superior Court of Ontario recently released a decision that addresses the question of what constitutes a “farm” in the family law context. With some exceptions, real property (land and buildings) acquired by one or both spouses during their marriage will be included in the “net family property” that is to be equalized between the spouses on the breakdown of the marriage pursuant to the Family Law Act (“FLA”).

In order to achieve the equalization of value between the spouses, it may be necessary to sell off some or all of

Agrilaw the real property and divide the proceeds. Where property is jointly owned, a spouse like any other coowner of property may also apply under the Partition Act for an order forcing the sale of the property and division of the proceeds.

The recent Superior Court decision was made in a case where a husband and wife of 25 years, now separated, owned four rural properties. Three were owned jointly. The last was owned in the name of the wife alone, but both spouses were the beneficial owners of the property. The wife was the Applicant in the case and asked the Court to order that the three jointly-owned properties be sold under the Partition Act. For the fourth property, held in her name alone, the Applicant asked for leave to sell the property.

The sale of two of the jointly owned properties was ultimately agreed upon by the parties. The Respondent husband contested the requests to sell the other two properties, one known as the “farm” (a property with some outbuildings on it and where cattle were raised by the Respondent) and the other being a woodlot (harvested by the Respondent). The Respondent submitted that both properties were farm properties within the meaning of the FLA and engaged special considerations that should delay any order for sale.

Section 9 of the FLA empowers the Court to grant remedies including the partition and sale of property.

However, under the subheading “Operating business or farm”, Section 11 of the FLA provides that, “An order made under section 9 or 10 shall not be made so as to require or result in the sale of an operating business or farm or so as to seriously impair its operation, unless there is no reasonable alternative method of satisfying the award.” The Respondent husband argued that the Court needed to determine whether there were reasonable alternative methods of equalizing net family property because both properties were “farms” and/or the sale of the properties would seriously impair his farming business.

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Justice Nicole Tellier started her analysis by observing that “[t]he terms farm or farmlands are not defined in the FLA” and “[t]he limited caselaw dealing with family farms on separation does not address this definitional issue per se.” Following the principles of statutory interpretation, Justice Tellier looked first to the ordinary meaning of the word “farm” as defined in various dictionaries. The Collins English Dictionary, for instance, defined “farm” as “an area of land, together with the buildings on it, that is used for growing crops or raising animals, usually to sell them.” Justice Tellier concluded that in the context of the protections afforded by Section 11 of the FLA, the aim of which were to alleviate financial hardship arising from a spouse’s property-related obligations, a farm “must be engaged in commercial activity to be afforded these extra remedies.”

A hobby farm would not qualify as a “farm” under Section 11, but Justice Tellier did not agree with the Applicant wife’s argument that a farm must be profitable. Justice Tellier ruled that a farm is a “farm” under Section 11 if “the intention or purpose of the farm enterprise is profit”. However, the Court would still need to consider the profitability or viability of the farm enterprise at the second stage of the inquiry, “namely whether the specific farm at issue ought to attract the protections afforded under section 11.” In other words, just because a property technically qualified as a “farm”, it would not necessarily be entitled to protection against a Court order for sale or some other remedy.

Justice Tellier looked at the “farm” property and determined that the Respondent husband’s farm operation “was not profitable at separation or afterwards and any future profitability is purely speculative.” She continued: “In sum, the farm operates less as a viable commercial enterprise worthy of long-term protection afforded under Section 9 of the Act, than as a vehicle for reducing [the Respondent husband]’s income tax liability, while he also attempts to insulate himself from the payment of spousal

Agrilaw support.” The farm was a “farm”, but it was still ordered to be sold immediately.

As for the woodlot property, Justice Tellier found it was an operating business rather than a “farm”, but noted that this distinction would “not impact the outcome on the question of whether the property should be sold, at this time, because section 11 operates to provide equal protection to both farms and operating businesses.” Justice Tellier decided that nothing in the FLA applied to deprive the Applicant wife from her presumptive right to an order for partition and sale of the woodlot property either. ◊ ______________________________ 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 circumstances.

Deadline for the December issue of The Rural Voice is November 9, 2021

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• Corn • Soybeans • Feed Grains • Feed Ingredients • Food Quality Soybeans CASH & FORWARD CONTRACTS Call us today for Quotes Scott Speers Richard Smibert Scott Krakar Matt McKillop Alex Kissler

1615 NORTH ROUTLEDGE PARK UNIT 43 LONDON, ONTARIO, N6H 5L6 519-473-9333 Toll-Free 1-800-265-1885

November 2021 49

Home • Farm • Auto • Commercial • Life https://moorehemsworth.ca Dublin – 519-345-2512 Listowel – 519-291-3921 Email: mhi@mhins.ca

PH: (519) 364-1010 TF: (800) 461-1020 150 7th Avenue, Hanover, ON www.hanoverhonda.ca

Trust family

neighbours

wisdom

intuition

dreams

Jordan Bowles Stratford 519.272.0000

Accepting applications now Visit artisanalchicken.ca to learn more

MNP.ca

50 The Rural Voice

The first of its kind in Canada and welcoming over 150 new farmers since its inception in 2016, the CFO Artisanal Chicken Program continues to evolve and grow.

This program enables farmers to raise between 600 and 3,000 chickens on an annual basis.

You put a lot of trust in those around you and deserve a business advisor who really get what’s on the line.

Larry Batte Clinton 519.606.8550

COMMITTED TO CRAFTSMANSHIP

People

• By Gary West •

Frontenac grapes thrive on Perth County farm

W

e know that grapes have always been grown in the Niagara and Pelee Island region but now they are also growing in Perth county on a farm just west of Shakespeare in North Easthope township.

In 2016, owners Dave and Kathy Drake planted five acres of Frontenac grapes on their 100-acre farm and are now harvesting the benefits of their labours in a superior crop of red and white grapes.

They took time during a sunny afternoon in October to show their different brands of hybrid grapes and how they are squeezing the grapes to make juice and wine.

There are a total of 42 rows, each 500 feet long. The Drakes hope to harvest over two tonnes of grapes per acre.

With climate change happening, the Drakes felt it was a good time to grow something new and believe the makeup of their soil contributes to a very sweet crop. ◊

Dave and Cathy Drake (above and below) harvested home‐grown grapes from their Perth County farm in October with help from daughter Rachel (above, middle). ~Photo of Drakes pouring out grapes by Rachel Drake.

February 2021 51

People

• By Gary West •

Hay donations headed to farms in Saskatchewan

T

here was a “feel good” feeling just outside of Punky Doodle’s corner in Perth County recently when “Hay West 2.0” organizer Martin Ritsma and the Wagler family loaded 54 big square bales of hay onto a Titan trailer heading for western Canada.

The hay is destined for farms between Swift Current Saskatchewan and Moose Jaw Saskatchewan where farmers have not been able to harvest enough hay for their cattle due to drought conditions.

The phrase “neighbours helping neighbours” was front and centre as the family from Green Acre Farms has now donated three loads of third cut hay totalling 152 bales. Each bale weighs over 1,000 pounds.

Gary Wagler said his family, along with neighbours John Brenneman and David Blair, were proud to help out on a year when their farms had an abundance. Hay West organizer — Martin Ritsma — said he has been working with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture to ensure the transportation and distribution takes place with a priority on breeding stock for the cow-calf beef operator. He said if those farmers aren’t supported, breeding stock numbers will be depleted to the point where there won’t be nearly enough calves born to raise and sell next year.

According to the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and Ag Canada, 20 rail cars and 40 transport trucks have been booked so far to take hay from Southern Ontario to farms in the north of the province and western Canada.

A bank account has been set up at Libro in Stratford to accept donations for those who would like to donate for trucking and expenses etc. Ritsma says he has 16 more farmers in his immediate area who are now on a list to donate large quantities of this year’s hay crop. Those wishing to donate can e-mail martinritsma@gmail.com or call 519-276-9659. ◊ 52 The Rural Voice

Loading hay for transport (above) to support drought‐stricken beef farms in Saskatchewan are (below, left to right) Martin Ritsma the Hay West 2.0 organizer, Rick Lees representing Titan Trailers along with Andrew, David, Gary and Brendon Wagler of Green Acre Farms who donated the hay.

#ForageFocus 2021 FREE Webinars 12-1 pm daily November 30 - Dr. Renato Schmidt - Minimize losses to get the most out of your silage December 1 - Anita Heeg - Understanding your forage analysis December 2 - Dr. Kim Cassida - Alfalfa quality and lessons from forage trials For tickets: https://events.eventzilla.net/e/forage-focus-2021-2138832593

The

Rural Voice

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

Organic Growers Wanted Long term production contracts available for HR Winter Wheat, Winter Barley, Winter Spelt and Winter Canola Also available in 2022 : production contracts for Soybeans, Edible Beans, Sunflowers, Peas

Full service to all boats and marine engines

contact: Wehrmann Grain & Seed Ltd

ARGYLE

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

Marine & Small Engines Inc.

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

e-mail: ingasven@hurontel.on.ca

DL Distributing

www.wehrmanngrainandseed.ca

STEFFEN WELL DRILLING

Dave Mustard 519-794-3334 Authorized Dealer

519-531-0355 TEESWATER, ON

mike@steffenwelldrilling.ca

Tough on Winter, Easy on You

• Agricultural & domestic water wells • Well Cleanouts • Pump Testing • Camera Inspection • Irrigation Wells • Dewatering Services

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

PACKERS: WE BUILD

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

RUBBER TIRE PACKER SPECIALISTS

www.beloretrailers.ca

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

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

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

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

November 2021 53

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

B U S I N E S S

MANUFACTURING STEEL ROOFING SIDING & TRIMS

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

Tel. 519-529-7212

Snowblowers, Quick-attach Buckets, Sweepers, Woodsplitters, Crimper Rollers, Land Rollers, Stone Windrowers, etc.

519-363-3757

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

Website: smythwelding.com Email: info@smythwelding.com

Also Supplying Other Building Accessories

Choose from:

C E N T R E

Hazelnut, heartnut, Persian and black Walnut, chestnut, hickory, pecan, pawpaw, persimmon, mulberry, fig and more.

STEVEN NIXON 979 Lakeshore Rd, RR3 Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario L0S 1J0 Tel: 905-YEH-NUTS (934-6887) Fax: 905-YEL-NUTS (935-6887) E-mail: nut.trees@grimonut.com Catalogue Site: www.grimonut.com

Serving the area since 1999

Broker WILFRED MCINTEE & CO. LIMITED

NEW LISTING! 276 GLEN ROAD, WINGHAM $549,900 MLS# 40171925

Fantastic well cared for home with 4 bedrooms including primary bedroom with walk in closet, complete newer open concept renovation kitchen/dining/living room, 2 gas fireplaces, hot water heating, hardwood flooring throughout except bedrooms, renovated 2pc and 4pc baths, finished lower level with rec room, large in-ground pool, fenced back yard, 2 minute 318 Josephine St., WINGHAM, ON N0G 2W0 walk to the park and Maitland river. Come take a look at this great property.

Bus: 519-357-2222 Cell: 519-531-0252 Email: nixon@execulink.com Web: www.stevennixon.com

CLASSIFIED

CLASSIFIED

CLASSIFIED

AUCTION -------------------------------------------Elmira Produce Auction – Hay and Straw Sales every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Consignors and buyers welcome. Call Lloyd Martin 519664-3356, 7400 Reid Woods Drive, Elmira.

-------------------------------------------CONSTRUCTION -------------------------------------------WE POUR: liquid manure tanks, bunker silos, foundations and pads.

All are 100% engineered. Serving Ontario since 1968. De Jong & Sons Ltd. 519-348-0523.

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

Call 519-625-8242 or 519-2741490.

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

FARM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE -------------------------------------------Real Industries cattle chute, parallel squeeze, w/palpitation cage and upgraded Arrowquip head handler. 519-357-2509.

-------------------------------------------AC roto-baler circa 1950, stored inside, field ready, some spare parts. 519-357-2509.

-------------------------------------------Reist, 3 point hitch, pto driven gear box pulley. 519-357-2509.

-------------------------------------------Augers, 3 - 10 ft sections, 6 inch diameter. 519-357-2509.

-------------------------------------------FARM FRESH -------------------------------------------Arranhill Garlic Farm, Table Garlic, Scapes and Shallots plus Garlic Seed for fall planting. 110-12 Conc.

East, Allenford. 519-270-0022.

Email: acowan@gbtel.ca --------------------------------------------

FIREWOOD -------------------------------------------Screened hardwood slabs – 16" cut $30 face cord, 10 cord deliveries or pick up in Auburn. huronfirewood.com Call 519-5243493.

-------------------------------------------FOR SALE -------------------------------------------Red and white potatoes, 50 lbs. bags, $14 per bag; friendly farm puppies, border collie/blue heeler cross, first shots. Glenlec Gardens 519-3382691.

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

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

Tell them you saw their ad in The Rural Voice!

54 The Rural Voice

Discount Steel Great for barn posts, stabling or other build-your-own projects

Custom Welding & Machine Shop Custom Stabling Mfg. Open Tues. & Thurs. ~ other days by chance John A.M. Martin 1467 Grey Ox Ave., Lucknow

CLASSIFIED

CLASSIFIED

CLASSIFIED

FOR SALE --------------------------------------------

LIVESTOCK BEDDING -------------------------------------------MIRACLE FIBER 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. 1-877-773-8004.

Sittler Grinding. Rick Sittler.

-------------------------------------------LIVESTOCK FOR SALE -------------------------------------------Suffolks - purebred Ram lambs.

British bloodlines M-V negative, closed flock. Several bloodlines available. 519-233-7896.

-------------------------------------------Large selection of young bred cows and heifers available. Also Limousin bulls. Smart Limousin, Meaford 519372-7459. smartlimo@bmts.com www.smartlimousin.com -------------------------------------------LIMOUSIN – quality breeding bulls, open and bred heifers for sale.

Delivery included. Posthaven Limousin, John Post. 519-7667178. www.posthavenlimousin.com -------------------------------------------Red Angus/Simmental, Simmental and Red Angus heifers bred to calving ease Red Angus bull for Spring 22 calving. James and Joan McKinlay 519-599-6236.

-------------------------------------------Rabbit breeding stock. High quality genetics available in Ontario. Order your PS40 bucks and PS19 does today. CuniON@tcc.on.ca -------------------------------------------REAL ESTATE -------------------------------------------Selling or buying farmland, residential or commercial. All properties needed. Call Greg or Dwaine Nicholls, Brokers for GA Nicholls Realty Ltd. Greg 519-2910507, Dwaine 519-492-2002.

-------------------------------------------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 -------------------------------------------Stitches with a Twist – 404 Queen St., Blyth, 519-523-9449. Yarns, needles, notions, patterns, books and lots more yarn.

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

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. 1-705-4348187.

-------------------------------------------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, 519-3489062.

Cell 519-274-5000. www.croninpouredconcrete.ca -------------------------------------------SERVICES -------------------------------------------Firearms and hunting training.

PAL & HUNTER ED. Ongoing courses available. Certified instructors. Call Greg 519-8879622 or 519-291-0507.

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

Gerber Meats Ltd. 519-699-4441 2513 Greenwood Hill Rd., Millbank, ON N0K 1L0

• Custom Butchering • Freezer Beef & Pork for sale

*Freezer Beef

$/lb.

hind quarters front quarters side of beef whole beef

$4.79 $4.39 $4.59 $3.99

*Freezer Pork

$/lb.

half or whole

$2.59

* Cutting, wrapping, freezing included in pricing

-------------------------------------------Martin’s Nursery & Bee Supplies Etc. Large selection of flowering trees, shade trees, fruit trees and hydrangeas and other shrubs. We have the plants you need to make a living “privacy hedge” or snow fence or windbreaks. Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, White Spruce, Pine and Cedars. Also… a Complete line of Bee Supplies for the commercial or hobby beekeepers. Order your (Nuc) Bees for spring 2022. We now sell select Queen Bees raised under ORHBS program on a weekly basis. Order by Monday evening for Wednesday pick-up – $40 each or buy 10+, $37.50 each. We stock all wooden-ware (bee-hives) foundation, assembled and unassembled frames, smokers, suits, jackets, gloves, mite treatments and some extracting equipment. Honey containers, jars, pails, custom built wooden-ware. Come visit our nursery and bee supplies store Monday to Saturday at 42661 Orangehill Rd., RR 1, Wroxeter, ON N0G 2X0, one concession north of Wroxeter.

-------------------------------------------IRON & STEEL -------------------------------------------DISCOUNT STEEL: New second grade steel sales; 1" - 8" square tubing; 7/8" - 14" round tubing; Rectangle tubing, discount plate; New and Used I-Beams; Bar grating, rebar, angles; Custom cutting, welding, punching.

Listowel. Phone Aden 519-5957775.

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

November 2021 55

CLASSIFIED

CLASSIFIED

CLASSIFIED

SERVICES --------------------------------------------

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

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

DONALD A ANDREW ACCOUNTING

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

Chatsworth Santa Claus Parade Saturday, December 18

Ph. 519-528-3019

Specializing in on Farm Pest Management Serving Southwestern ON, Golden Horseshoe, GTA Email: info@sgsltd.ca

519-692-4232 www.sgspestmanagement.ca

GLAVIN BARN & COMMERCIAL PAINTING FARMERS repaint your faded coloured steel FREE QUOTES ~ FULLY INSURED

RR 1 Crediton, Ont. N0M 1M0 (near Exeter)

Call: Jim Glavin 1-800-465-4725 519-228-6247 Eugene Glavin 519-228-6801

• 1800 Gallons of Water • Green Houses • Dryers • Farms • Resorts • Gassifier • Wood or Wood Chips • Like Buying Propane at 8¢ a Litre!

UP TO 50% OFF

Government Grants

7:00 p.m.

Parade begins at the old Chatsworth Community Centre.

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

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

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

-------------------------------------------GREY ROOTS FALL LECTURE SERIES – These fun, informative lectures are offered free of charge online at greyroots.com. Nov. 9 – Trails in Grey County; Nov. 16 – Internet Genealogy Research; Nov. 23 – Caring for Collections and Nov. 30 – Black Pioneers of the Durham Road.

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

-------------------------------------------Bazaar – Saturday, November 13, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Egmondville United Church. Baking, preserves, crafts and more. COVID-19 health unit protocols.

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

Sponsored by the Chesley Kinsmen Club.

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Installation • Energy Audits Feasibility Studies • Training

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56 The Rural Voice

Friday, December 3

10:30 am

Licensed Plumber Are Hard Winters or on Staff High Fuel Prices Draining The ECO Store your Bottom Line?

559 Bervie Sideroad RR #4 Here is the Answer!

Kincardine N2Z 2X5 Way More Affordable then you Think

Commercial 4 Million BTU Gassifier

Chesley Kinsmen Santa Claus Parade

Sun-Mar Composting Toilets

• Batteries • AGM • Flooded • Surrete • Solar

• energy independence?

? • building an off grid home? ? ...then you Better talk to us!

CLASSIFIED UPCOMING SALE -------------------------------------------Manuel K. Albrecht Farm Supplies (tools, lubricants, Interstate batteries, hayfeeders, etc.), 23rd Annual November Sale – third week (November 15-19). Open Monday to Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. or farmers hours. (Manuel K. or Mark Albrecht), 628 Concession 11, Kincardine, Tiverton, ON N0G 2T0.

Free coffee and homemade donuts.

-------------------------------------------WANTED -------------------------------------------Cropland, very competitive rates or share crop, long or short term. 519276-9405, rastorferfarm@gmail.com -------------------------------------------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.

-------------------------------------------Round bales of horse or cattle quality hay picked up. Call Riley Gorman 519-321-1012.

-------------------------------------------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 -------------------------------------------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 -------------------------------------------Seeking farmland for rent in Huron and Bruce Counties. Maximize financial return while improving your land. Call Caleb Ringgenberg 226-920-3147 cringgen@ gmail.com --------------------------------------------

Deadline for the December issue of The Rural Voice is November 9, 2021

702 MAIN ST. SAUBLE BEACH (519) 422-ATVS (2887) sales.atvdepot@bellnet.ca

The Rural Voice welcomes letters and will publish as many as space permits.

Write: The Rural Voice Box 429, BLYTH, ON N0M 1H0

November 2021 57

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.

Introducing Sunil Puri, NFU-O Land-Linking and Young Farmer Support Specialist!

A warm and hearty hello to The Rural Voice readership! My name is Sunil Levinson Puri, and I am the newest staff member of the NFUOntario. I have been a long-time reader of The Rural Voice, however this is my first time as a contributor.

Please allow me to introduce myself and my role with the NFU-O, I will include my contact information at the end for anyone who would like to further the conversation!

As demographics in agriculture continue to shift and farm families age towards retirement, farmland succession has been a major concern facing rural communities in Ontario.

Over the past year the NFU-O has facilitated a series of workshops that identified many farm families would prefer to age in place and see their land continue to be farmed rather than sold for development. Our “Land-Linking & Farmland Conservation” workshops further identified a massive barrier to access farmland for new and young farmers who are predominantly coming from urban areas or non-farm-holding families.

Within these trends is a tremendous opportunity for land partnership between retiring land holders and aspiring land-seekers.

These partnerships would provide a critical foothold for new farmers to become established and would allow retiring farmers to age in place, continue to be a part of their communities and pass on their rich farming knowledge while seeing their land remain in agricultural production. I joined the NFU-O team this fall to seize this opportunity.

My role as the Land-Linking and Young Farmer Support Specialist will be to facilitate the connection between land-holders and landseekers, support the creation of land partnerships and to gather resources that will empower new land-holders

to responsibly steward the land and operate viable farm businesses. I am grateful and excited for the opportunity to work with established, retiring and new farmers to create land partnerships that will help bring young people back to rural areas. I believe that facilitating the transition of farmland to new and young farmers will not only help to protect farmland from development but may reignite once thriving rural communities with young blood and new ideas.

As a new farmer operating off of rented land I believe I bring a critical perspective to this role as someone who has navigated and learned from successful and unsuccessful land partnerships.

I began working in agriculture in 2016 with an internship at Manorun Organic Farm, a mixed C S A, livestock and grain farm in Copetown, serving the Hamilton area. Since then I have worked on a number of farms in Ontario, and abroad, in operations from vegetable production to dairy. Today I have a small market garden operation called Feel Free Farm on rented land in Jerseyville and I work part-time as a lead hand and operator at Manorun Farm.

The land I rent today is owned by my former employer, Shawn, an N F U farming member whom I worked for during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. After making the tough decision to step away from farming and pursue more financially stable employment in the city, Shawn offered me the opportunity to continue to use his land and infrastructure.

The land partnership has been beneficial for both of us in different ways. Shawn is intrinsically

motivated to see his property remain in production, and to see the land and infrastructure maintained rather than fall into disrepair. In keeping Shawn’s land productive I have had the opportunity to access land and infrastructure without needing to go into debt. This has allowed me to slowly build a resilient and viable farm business, an opportunity I would not otherwise have, given the current real estate climate. Further, I have greatly benefited from Shawn’s existing knowledge about the land and his unofficial mentorship.

I am looking forward to making many more connections like this across Ontario and to find other young farmers the type of opportunity I have had. I truly believe that the creation of land succession plans and land partnerships that bring young people back to farming will aid in the creation of vibrant and thriving rural communities and resilient local economies and food systems across the urban rural divide.

If you are interested in talking with me more as either a land-holder or land-seeker please contact me through email at sunil@nfuontario.ca.

I am looking forward to hearing from you!

Warmly, Sunil Levinson Puri Land-Linking and Young Farmer Support Specialist

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

Stewart Skinner, President stewart@stonaleenfarms.ca / 519-492-2990

Perth County Pork Producers NEWSLETTER

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

Racing to extinction as pandemic restrictions continue Any opinion expressed is that of individual County Directors or Representatives and may not necessarily reflect the views of the Perth County Pork Producers.

The declining membership of service clubs and grassroots groups is an oft told tale. Here in my hometown, clubs that were active in my youth, with many a current landmark fundraised through their efforts, are now defunct.

While not without struggle, agricultural groups have done a good job of adapting to declining numbers and remained productive where others have faltered. PCPPA and other groups like the local federations continue to do good work in areas like political advocacy, community outreach, and public education albeit with smaller numbers than even a decade ago. Agriculture has a tradition of service that fueled resilience yet organizations are struggling to adapt to the new wrinkles of a COVID-19 obsessed world.

There are many issues facing the pork industry today and nothing more pressing than the calamity of dysfunction plaguing every link of the pork value chain. A shortage of hook space in eastern Canada means there are Ontario market hogs travelling to far flung places like Brandon, Manitoba and Logansport, Indiana every week with no end in sight. Feed ingredients can be hard to find and are guaranteed to be expensive. John F. Kennedy described farmers as “the only people in the economy who could manage to buy everything at retail, sell everything at wholesale, and pay the freight both ways.”

It takes a special kind of resourcefulness to succeed in that environment and in the past it was times like this when grassroots farm groups could really shine. The last 18 months have seen a valiant effort from PCPPA, thousands of dollars have been raised for local and

provincial outreach, thousands of pounds of pork has been donated to local food banks, and countless community BBQs have all taken place. Despite all of this hard work, our group and many others like it, are in danger of coming to a grinding halt. When a crisis hits there is a period of time in which it can fuel a new gear for an organization and that can lead to great things but if the state of crisis redlines for too long, major failure can become a real possibility.

New rules requiring the disclosure of personal health information for entry into many public spaces and the associated expulsion of unvaccinated people from said spaces has made a return to in-person meetings very hard for grassroots groups. For some, the lack of rural internet makes virtual meetings at best frustrating and at worst impossible, making inperson meetings essential. The difficulty in finding consensus on how to come together endangers the preservation of a critical mass of people needed so that the benefits of the work have an opportunity to flourish and in an era of declining membership, the loss of a small number of people can have a large impact on an organization’s capacity.

At the risk of hyperbole, if these restrictions remain in place for an extended period of time then another wave of groups will cease to exist.

The basics of grassroots advocacy may not be expensive in the financial sense but they take a lot of work and emotional energy to be impactful.

Earlier this year when talking to members of PCPPA who were part of 50th anniversary celebrations 25 years ago many spoke fondly of the friendships forged through their volunteerism. People need the opportunity to come together to build the bonds that help down the road so that when times get tough people are emotionally invested in the joint success of the group.

Volunteerism has been suffering for some time and the new wrinkles stemming from public health rules are accelerating the decline. As with almost everything COVID-19, we will not know if the risks that are attempting to be alleviated were worth the cost for some time. But a cost there is and the functionality of grassroots community groups are just another casualty in a long line of things that have been sacrificed in the name of COVID prevention. ◊ – Submitted by Stewart Skinner

Fill your freezer with local pork products. Order today from Tanya & Darryl Terpstra (519-291-7603) and Dave & Ruth Kloostra (519-347-2619) or visit Leis Feeds in Milverton, open Monday to Friday from 8 to 5:30 and Saturday from 8 to 12.

BBQ services for large groups are also available, contact perthcountyporkproducers@gmail.com for more details

November 2021 59

St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1P9 Grey County Federation 446 10th519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551 grey@ofa.on.ca Website: greyfederation.ca of Agriculture * The Rural Voice is provided toEmail: OFA Members in Grey County by the GCFA

Senator Robert Black guest speaker at AGM On October 13, 2021 Grey County Federation of Agriculture held its 81st Annual Meeting.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic it was once again held virtually. The event was well attended with members signing on to hear guest speaker Senator Robert Black speaking on his journey to becoming a senator. It was a very interesting talk that everyone who joined the meeting seemed to really be interested in. He answered questions after his talk.

For the business side of things, GCFA elected its executive and board of directors for 2021-2022.

Grey County Federation of Agriculture

2021 MEETINGS • November 11 • December 9 DUE TO COVID­19 GCFA Board Meetings have become conference/video call format.

Please contact the office if you are interested in taking part.

@ GreyFedAg

Grey Federation of Agriculture

The group for the upcoming fiscal year are as follows: Past President – Hugh Simpson President – Dianne Booker First Vice-President – Keith Reid Second Vice-President – Michael Ryan Directors include: Allen Hughes, Paul McQueen, Kevin Raszmann, Jackie Pennings, Karen Gorman and Lindsey Coles.

This year the board has some exciting plans for new initiatives for promoting agriculture. We look forward to working on behalf of our members. As always, please contact our office if you have any concerns. ◊

Senator Robert Black was guest speaker at GCFA Annual Meeting

Grey County Federation Director retires after 20 years on the board The Grey County Federation of Agriculture had a director retire this year.

Paul Wettlaufer joined the GCFA board in 2001 as a representative for the township of Normanby. He became the representative to OFA from Grey County in 2003 until 2008. That is when OFA changed its board structure and he became the Region 2 representative (Grey and Bruce) until 2018.

Over Paul’s 20 years with GCFA he has been active on many different committees representing the interests of the membership.

Most recently he is a PAC (Policy Advisory Council) representative and delegate for the Grey Dufferin Pasture Committee.

Whether it be for tour guide duties for an on­farm event, or MC­ing the annual public speaking contest, Paul was always ready to lend a helping hand. His support to the federation and the knowledge he brought to the table will be missed at future meetings.

Enjoy your retirement Paul!

– Grey County Federation of Agriculture

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

60 The Rural Voice

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

NEWSLETTER

446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1P9 519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551 * The Rural Voice is provided to OFA Members in Bruce County by the BCFA

Policy Advisory Committee focuses on providing direction to OFA Any opinion expressed is that of individual County Directors or Representatives and may not necessarily reflect the views of the Bruce County Federation of Agriculture or Ontario Federation of Agriculture.

The most recent meeting of the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) of the OFA was focused on providing direction to the OFA board as they begin the consultation process for the next Agriculture Policy Framework (APF) that will be implemented in early 2023. The process is moving slowly now since everything has been delayed by the election but it is crucial for our members that we provide lots of input into program development before it is too late to make changes.

The PAC session had discussions on both business risk management programs and other programs such as research funding and environmental programs. We discussed why people did or did not use the current programs, and what new programs should be developed. There was considerable discussion about how difficult it was to apply to some of the programs such as Agri Stability

and some of the Environmental Programs. New concerns that were raised included adapting to climate change, improving the environment and issues around managing labour on farm and farm processing.

On the business risk management side, the differences between an insurance-based program like the provincial risk management program and a margin-based program were explored. While the farmer PAC members focused on the predictability of the programs the government policy spokespeople described that when government considers farm support programs they also have to make them follow Canada’s commitments in international trade agreements which can greatly complicate how programs work.

It is important to make sure our members’ concerns are heard and if possible addressed in the next APF. If you have concerns about a particular program or issue that is or is not currently being addressed it is important that you speak up now, while we have some time to lobby for changes. Getting the program

developed properly is much more important than getting the most amount of money allocated. In a disaster money can be quickly found, but if there is no good way to get it to the right people if it doesn’t address the needs very well.

We have seen many examples in both agriculture and with COVID where government programs have been developed in a hurry and many issues have come up sending money to people that don’t need it, and those that really need it get nothing.

This is our chance to try and avoid some of these mistakes. You can contact your local federation board, your provincial director or your MSR with your concerns. If you happen to be speaking with an MP or MPP encourage them to be interested in the process. If you need help answering their questions, pass their contact info to your MSR, local board or provincial director. We would be glad to have a conversation with them, it’s what we do every day.

– John Gillespie BCFA Vice-President PAC delegate for Bruce County

Bruce County Federation of Agriculture

2021 MEETINGS • November 8 • November 22 - OFA Convention DUE TO COVID-19 BCFA Board Meetings have become conference/video call format. Please contact the office if you are interested in taking part.

This bursary was recreated in 2017 by both the Bruce and the Grey Federations of Agriculture. Its purpose is to help students who choose a post-secondary education in a field related to agriculture. To date the federations have helped 23 students with their education and hope to provide this support to students for many years. If you are interested in supporting this initiative, please contact them at bcfabursary@gmail.com.

At the Bruce County AGM held on October 27, 2021 the Building Careers and Futures in Agriculture committee chair Les Nichols announced the student winners for 2021. Gabrielle Young from Cargill is attending Ridgetown College for an Associate Diploma in Agriculture and Madison Lewis from Meaford is undertaking a Bachelor of Science in Honours Agriculture, were this year’s recipients.

We wish both these students well as they continue their studies, congratulations!

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

November 2021 61

Perth County Federation of Agriculture Email: perthcountyfedofag@gmail.com Website: www.perthcountyfarmers.ca Sue Shafer, Office Administrator 1-833-229-6834 Sara Wood, President: 519-272-5525

Soybeans – cooking with Ontario’s #1 cash crop --- Soybeans are more than just a source of oil and animal feed!

Soybeans have unique uses around the world that provide both protein and flavour to diets. These uses include tofu, miso, soy sauce and soy flour. Ontario is known world-wide as a source for high quality and high protein soybeans. Asia is the main destination for our soybeans where they have been cooking with them for millennia.

After a trip to Japan and eating such good food, I wanted to see what all these new ingredients were about and how hard they were to make.

With a bin full of soybeans on our farm, there was no point in paying for something readily available! I decided to make miso and tofu.

Miso is a fermented soybean. To start, get your hands on some Koji rice. It is a cooked rice inoculated with a mold. Once you have that, it is as simple as: cook the soybeans, mash or blend them, mix soybeans, salt, and Koji together, stick the mixture in a jar or container and leave it for six months. Miso adds umami or savory flavour to food. I’ve learned that you can use miso on any food that needs salt or seasoning; like broths, stir-fries, dressings and to marinate or season meat.

Tofu, I thought, was a complicated and highly-processed food but it only has two ingredients – soybeans and a coagulant. It is as simple as making

cheese. (Making cheese is easy).

First you clean and soak the soybeans, then blend them into a paste and squeeze out the liquid though a cheese cloth. You are now left with a high protein liquid that is heated up. A coagulant is added to cause it to curd. The coagulant can be many things like lemon juice, magnesium sulphate, or calcium sulphate. The curds are then placed into a tofu mold until the desired firmness is met.

Tofu on its own is void of flavor.

It is actually meant to be marinated and added to other dishes. Tofu isn’t that popular in western nations. I believe this is due to our abundance of affordable meat. However, in Japan, which is a net importer of meat and feed, tofu and other soybean products are the most affordable protein for their diets. I did find that pork was still the most common meat on the menu and chicken is common, but beef was more a delicacy than a staple protein source.

Thanks for reading about my adventures with some great Ontario soybeans.

– Submitted by Tyler Denham, PCFA Director

Miso

Soybean Paste

Curds Forming

JOIN US FOR OUR ANNUAL PERTH COUNTY

Perth County Federation of Agriculture

DIRECTORS’ MEETING

Friday, November 19 12:00 p.m.

Call 1-833-229-6834 to participate or to obtain more information

November 20, 2021 $70 for a two-person Gala Box To purchase tickets: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/perth-county-harvestgala-from-home-2021-tickets-163585521699

For more information: perthcountyfedofag@gmail.com 1-833-229-6834

A PROJECT OF THE PERTH COUNTY FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE

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

62 The Rural Voice

Tofu

Index Allied Associates LLP ....................27 Argyle Marine & Small Engines ....53 Artisanal Chicken Program............50 BDO ..................................................6 Belore Trailers ................................53 Ben Kuepfer Concrete....................21 Bernie McGlynn/SB Flooring ........41 Bervie Supply ................................56 Bio-Ag ............................................13 Boonstoppel, Dave & Elly ..............21 Buddsteel Architectural Products 42 Canadian Co-op Wool Growers ....36 Celebrating 4-H ......................2,13,15 Chalmers Fuels ................................11 Chatsworth Santa Parade..............56 Chesley Santa Parade....................56 Cliff’s Plumbing & Heating ............27 CropQuest Inc ................................46 DeDell Seeds ..................................45 Design & Build..............................9,11 DL Distributing ..............................53 Easy Lift Doors................................12 Gerber Meats..................................55 Greenfield Global ..........................29 Grimo Nut Nursery ........................54 Grober Nutrition ....................Cover 4 Hanover Honda ..............................50 Harold Jones Enterprises ..............53 Hayden Water Wells ........................8 Hill & Hill Farms ....Inside Front Cover Holiday Shopping ....................30-34 Hunter Steel Sales ................Cover 5 Huron Christian School..................29 Huron Commodities ......................47 Huron Ridge Greenhouses ............39 Huron Tractor ................................47 Jennifer Cook & Associates Inc ....36 Kingwood Bins ..............................57 KMM Farm Drainage ......................48 LAC ................................................49 Lakeside Shelving & Racking ........13 Mapleview Agri ................................7 Marquardt Farm Drainage ..............16 Martin Farm Wagons......................48 Martin’s Nursery ............................39 Marvin L Smith ..............................63 McConville Omni Insurance ..........43

McIntee Real Estate - Steve Nixon ..54 Midwestern Equipment Ltd ............16 MNP LLP ........................................50 Moore Hemsworth Insurance ........50 MVCA..............................................44 Nature’s Wave Inc ..........................10 Nuclear Waste Management ........63 Ontario Forage Council..................52 RBC AG West ................................36 Ridgeway Metals ............................54 RT Bolton & Son....................Cover 4 Rural Voice Books ................Cover 6 Sauble Beach Motorsports ..........43,46,47,49,57 Schmidt’s Farm Drainage ..............14

Schweiss Doors ..............................49 Sew & Save Centre ........................39 Sharp’s Creek Forge ......................14 Smyth Welding ..............................54 Steffen Well Drilling ......................53 Stihl Ltd ............................................5 Superior Barn Painting ..........Cover 5 SWO Diesel Inc ......................Cover 3 Townsley Barn Painting ................55 Triple P Consulting ........................39 Trouw Nutrition................Back Cover WD Hopper & Sons Ltd..................46 Wehrmann Grain & Seeds Ltd ......53 Welbeck Sawmill Limited ..............16 Williams Drainage ..........................43

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November 2021 63

HURON

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

County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER

Upcoming Events

HCFA distributing SMV signs The HCFA is pleased to partner with local grain facilities to distribute new slow-moving vehicle signs throughout Huron County to replace faded, damaged or missing signs during harvest this year. This project was supported by the OFA Revive Fund. If you are looking to get one of over 1,300 signs please contact us or a local grain facility in Huron County. Thanks to our local grain facilities that have distributed these signs.

A slow-moving vehicle (SMV) sign warns other road users that your vehicle is moving at 40 kms/hour or less.

You need to display a slowmoving vehicle sign if your vehicle (tractor or self-propelled implement of husbandry) is not capable of reaching and sustaining a speed greater than 40 kms/hour.

Slow-moving vehicle signs are for vehicles only. You can’t use them on fixed objects like mailboxes or driveway markers if they can be seen from the road.

Property owners or tenants displaying a slow-moving vehicle sign on fixed objects may be subject to a fine.

Placement of a slow-moving vehicle sign: the sign should be placed on the rear of the vehicle between 0.6 meters (two feet) and two meters (six feet) above the roadway. It should be centered from left to right as much as possible.

More information about slowmoving vehicle signs is available at

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

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/ vehicles/slow-moving-vehiclesign.shtml ◊

November 11 - Remembrance Day November 22 - OFA Convention (held virtually).

Huron County Federation of Agriculture

Dark Red Reflective Border 4.4 cm

10 cm Fluorescent Yellow-Orange Triangle

35 cm

60º Angle 30.6 cm

BOARD MEETING

November 22 - 8:00 p.m.

Please contact the office if you are interested in attending.

Ontario Young Farmers Forum moves to an in-person and virtual program for 2021 The OYFF committee is planning a hybrid event this year that will consist of in-person farm tours and a four-part virtual speaker series.

• East Zone Farm Tour: Saturday, Nov. 27 – 10:00 am • West Zone Farm Tour: Sunday, Nov. 28 – 10:00 am • Session 1: Thursday, Nov. 4 –7:00 pm • Session 2: Wednesday, Nov. 10 – 7:00 pm • Session 3: Monday, Nov. – 7:00 pm • Session 4: Tuesday, Nov. 23 – 7:00 pm.

Ontario Ministry of

OPP

Natural Resources

Non-emergency line

1-800-667-1940

1-888-310-1122

The virtual program will provide the opportunity for young people to learn, connect, and network with other members of the agricultural community. Learn more and register for the program at https://www.jfao.on.ca/oyff Please call before visiting the HCFA office to determine if the office is open.

Please be assured that we are still available to address your concerns by telephone: 519-482-9642 or email: ofahuron@tcc.on.ca

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

64 The Rural Voice

Supplying the agricultural industry needs since 1977!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Angle Channel Hot and cold rolled bars Tool steel Beams Rebar Concrete reinforcing mesh Mechanical tubes Black pipe Galvanized pipe Sheet and Plate Bar grating Welded wire mesh Grip strut Precision ground shafting

* NEW * Now Stocking • Hog & Cattle Panels • Various livestock penning sizes available Services offered: • Saw cutting • Punching • Rebar cutting and bending • Custom welded columns and beams • Priming • Galvanizing OPEN: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

www.huntersteel.ca 519-273-3151 500 Lorne Ave. E., Stratford

         

House & Barn Painting Pressure Washing Asphalt Coatings Sand & Air Blasting Roofs & Walls Elevator Legs Lightning Rod Systems Heavy Duty Seamless Eavestroughing Fully Insured Free Estimates

Liquid Rubber Sealant Uses:  Roof Maintenance & Restorations  Foundations  Bins We’re also certified applicators of Liquid Rubber

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

Liquid Rubber Features:    

Waterproof Adheres to almost any surface Resists Cracking & Chipping Flexible in all weather

www.barnpainting.ca DORCHESTER

The Rural Reading Room Specializing in Rural Living & Local Authors

CANADIAN JINGLE BELLS Take a flying tour of Canada with Santa Claus and his sled pulled by beaver in this charming illustrated children’s book. Travel from the Yukon and Yellowknife to the west coast and all the way east to Newfoundland. $19.95

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

GRANDMA’S CHRISTMAS WISHES Story time is family time. This book is special for every grandchild. A board book which creates Christmas cheer, introduces language patterns and rhyming and strengthens bonds and emotional security. $13.99

The Old Farmer’s 2022 Almanac This 230th edition aims once again to fulfill your expectations with its fun facts and forecasts. Also includes news, novelties and a little nonsense to carry you through another year. $7.99

GRANDPA’S WISH LIST A grandpa has lots of special wishes for his new grandchild.

Most of all, he wishes to share moments and make memories together. A wonderful keepsake from grandfather to grandchild.

Padded hardcover. $13.99

BEST OF BRIDGE HOLIDAY CLASSICS 225 Recipes for Special Occasions This new collection will meet all of your holiday entertaining needs, from casual potluck get-togethers to festive brunches and buffets to elegant sit-down dinners and cocktail parties. $29.95

HAVE MERCEY My First Sixty Years Making Music An autobiography of the music career of Larry Mercey and the award-winning Canadian Country Music group, The Mercey Brothers. $25.00

The Old Farmer’s Almanac For Kids Tons of fun for everyone. This all-new Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids has even more of what you’ve always loved: animals, astronomy, friend on the farm, weird weather, perplexing puzzles and cool comics. $10.95

Check out huroncitizen.ca for more books Total

Qty.

CANADIAN JINGLE BELLS GRANDMA’S CHRISTMAS WISHES GRANDPA’S WISH LIST HAVE MERCEY NEVER SELL YOU HEN ON A RAINY DAY THE OLD FARMER’S ALMANAC BEST OF BRIDGE HOLIDAY CLASSICS THE OLD FARMER’S ALMANAC FOR KIDS

$19.95 $13.99 $13.99 $25.00 $8.95 $7.99 $29.95 $10.95 Total for Books Shipping & Handling $9.00 Add 5% GST on subtotal Order Total

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.

Hidden Gems of Huron County

FR FREE EE

Hiidddeenn G eem ms ooff Huur ron on Cou ount nty Fa Fallll 20 2021 21

Our print version is distributed FREE at tourist information booths, town halls, retail outlets, accommodations, and restaurants throughout the county and beyond!

Online version available at

stopsalongtheway.ca

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

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

This means more accurate and cost-efficient diet formulation that meets the needs of your herd and in line with your goals.

No more, no less, just enough.

To take advantage of the power of NEWTON, talk to your Dairy Nutrition Advisor or local Shur-Gain® dealer.

trouwnutrition.ca

HENSALL CO-OP Londesboro 519-523-9606 800-265-9000 Zurich 519-236-7155 800-565-7155 Ripley 519-395-5955 855-895-5955 Mitchell 519-348-8752 800-669-3502 Alisa Craig 519-232-4449 Kurtzville 519-291-2220

DAUPHIN FEED & SUPPLY LTD. Dungannon 519-529-7951 800-665-5675

NIEUWLAND FEED & SUPPLY LTD. Listowel 519-291-5795 800-265-3229

Walton 519-887-6023

Drayton 519-638-3008 800-263-9819

THE HITCHING POST (2019) LTD. St. Marys 519-284-2360 HOLSTEIN FEED MILL (2015) LTD. Holstein 519-334-3424

Elora 519-846-5354 800-265-5354 TROUW NUTRITION (formerly Yantzi Feed & Seed) Tavistock 519-655-2033