to play a podcast.
Wednesday March 10, 2010
submit to digg
add to del.icio.us
add to furl
Click to Play: Bonnie Raitt - That Song About the Midway We treasure spaces like this on An Island Walk.
This week, Sheila Adams, Lisa Parisi, and Maria Knee were joined by Ginger Lewman for a conversation about free tools. How much are we willing to pay if the tools don't stay free?
This week, Sheila Adams, Lisa Parisi, and Maria Knee were joined by Ginger Lewman for a conversation about free tools. How much are we willing to pay if the tools don't stay free?
Chat Archive:
64:22 minutes (29.47 MB)
Soybeans
There are four tangible options available to soybean growers: Forward Contract, IP Contract, Soybean Pool, and direct purchase. The Grain Elevator Corporation (GEC) has quoted a forward price for GMO beans and purchases up to 50 % on this basis. The other 50%, a grower may elect to place in a pool at harvest. Alternatively, the GEC will purchase a quantity of beans out right for cash to service the local livestock industry or for local export. At the time of writing, soybeans are worth in the area of net $315 per metric tonne for delivery next fall. A fourth option is an IP contract where the seed source is controlled, there is a management program in place, and export specifications are to be met at the time of delivery. The specialized management program guarantees a grower premium if all the specifications are met.
Milling Wheat and Feed Wheat
The stick and glove that helped Canada win Olympic gold are back where they belong.
Sidney Crosby’s missing gear was on its way to Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
Charlottetown Councillor David MacDonald is promising a big party in Charlottetown when the East Coast Music Awards come to the Island capital in April 2011.
About $6-million will be invested to build a new Holland College campus in Alberton.
The meeting of the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Environment, Energy and Forestry scheduled for Thursday, March 11, at 10am in the Pope Room of the Coles Building has been canceled. The P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture was scheduled to testify.
With competition more intense than ever, there are no bad cars. Or is that just BS? The Mechanic, a contributor to Edmunds Inside Line and former automotive journalist and magazine editor who may or may not be a distant relative of The Stig, thinks there are plenty of terrible vehicles on the road today. 24 to be exact.
So the question is, do you agree with his list?
![":D"]("{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" "\"Very"){kind=icon}
... SUMMERSIDE – Islanders have varying opinions on the Province’s two-tier minimum wage proposal.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is spoofing MPs over their high-on-the-hog pensions and their $10 million in household mailouts.
The Egg Producers of PEI are no longer pursuing new regulations on producers who aren't registered, but some small egg producers in eastern PEI fear the egg board may raise this issue once again.
The egg board had planned to change regulations to force small egg producers who own between 50 and 300 hens to register their operation, and make changes including putting in an egg-grading station. The changes were subject to approval by the provincial cabinet, but last week the egg board withdrew the request for the changes.
Michael Cummiskey, general manager of the Egg Producers of PEI, said while there was much concern raised about the proposal, the board made the final decision to withdraw the plan.
The leader of Montague Area Cub Scouts has concerns about policies regarding bookings at Camp Riverdale. PEI Scouts recently booked the group of youths on the same weekend as a senior's group.
The group of nine youths ages eight to 10 along with leaders and volunteers had planned to go to Camp Riverdale, located in Queens County near Strathgartney, this past weekend for their annual winter camp.
However, Cub Scout leader Nancy Collier discovered on Thursday they would be sharing the site with PEI Sociable Singles.
The camp is owned by Scouts Canada but is rented to both Scout groups and other organizations.
The Cubs would have used one cabin while the senior's group would have used the other.
It is a big year for seals making their way inland, at least in eastern PEI where the mammals have been seen in fields, on roads and as far inland as 2.5 kilometers.
Twenty wayward seals, double the number compared to last year, have already been reported to Conservation Officers.
Seals that aren't in any danger are typically left to find their own way back to water. However if they pose a threat to children, pets or become a road hazard they will be picked up by Conservation Officers.
The fact that seals wander away from water isn't unusual, according to Don Sheidow, Field Supervisor with Fisheries and Oceans. What is unusual though, is the number.
Mr Sheidow said that because of the lack of ice, the seals may have pupped onshore. Ice in SMB was natural ice and the seals could have gotten on shore that way. They also could have come to the Island on ice that blew over from Pictou, Nova Scotia in high winds.
This year marks an impressive 78 years of marriage for one couple on the Machon Point Road in Murray Harbour.
Thomas, whose 100th birthday was on Tuesday, and Mary Trenholm, who were raised in the fishing and shipping community of Louisburg, Nova Scotia were married in 1932.
They began dating a year earlier, when Mary was 15 and Tom 20.
"At the time I was working on a cargo ship. I used to see Mary walking around town and thought she was a very pretty girl," Thomas, who recently celebrated his 100th birthday, said.
"We started going out and soon fell in love."
By the time Thomas and Mary tied the knot in 1932, this veteran seaman and boat builder already had a number of years of sailing under his belt. For the first few years of their marriage, Mary followed her husband on many of his seafaring adventures, which included voyages to the Dutch West Indies and British Guyana.
The gap between the electricity bills of P.E.I. farmers and their counterparts throughout the Atlantic region could go even higher April 1.
P.E.I. has the dubious distinction of having the highest power rates in the region and they are among the highest in the country. A change in the bill procedure at Maritime Electric approved two years ago could put another 30 per cent onto those bills the next time the page changes on the calendar.
The change would mean the end to block pricing for high-use residential customers, which gives a reduced rate to 3,400 rural customers who use more than 2,000 kilowatt hours per month. Half of that total is farmers.
As they looked around the latest equipment at the International Potato Technology Expo, some growers must have been wondering whether they would soon find themselves with little need of the technology they have.
The processing sector, which accounts for approximately 60 per cent of Island production, has become stagnant in the wake of declining french fry sales, especially in the restaurant trade. Both Cavendish Farms and McCain Food cut back acreage approximately 15 per cent last year and little has changed since then.
Just how tough it will be this year is now starting to come into focus. Just days before the expo, both processors announced they would be cutting some of their small growers loose. Close to 20 producers who had been growing for Cavendish Farms now find themselves without a guaranteed market for anything they might grow this year—in the case of McCains, the number is 12.
Cattle producers from across the province have given their seal of approval to a new strategic development plan for the industry.
The P.E.I. Cattle Producers asked Dynamic Outcomes Consulting to draw up the document late last year. The finished product was presented to the industry at three district meetings in February. Rinnie Bradley, the association’s executive director, said the five point plan will serve as a guide for both current and future directors of the organization.
The two weeks that went into the production of this issue will definitely go down as a time to forget in Island agriculture.
It seemed as if each day brought another frontal assault on the Island’s number one industry. First there was the announcement by Larsen’s they would not be purchasing any more animals for their plant in Berwick. This announcement had been expected for some time.
After the closure of the Natural and Organic Food Group plant in Charlottetown, many of the producers that opted to carry on wondered whether Berwick would be far behind. That’s why about half of them decided instead to ship to duBreton in Quebec.
Amalgamated Dairies Limited has proven to be the “little engine that could” in the world of cheese making.
While brands like Kraft, Saputo and Black Diamond may have a higher profile nationally, the Summerside based dairy has the hardware to prove they are the best in the country. The gold standard of the Canadian cheese industry is the British Empire Cheese Show, held every year in the Ontario city of Belleville since 1928.
The senseless killing of a fox allegedly by snowmobilers came as no surprise to me. This is just the tip of the iceberg regarding society's treatment of animals.
We seem surprised and shocked when we hear about violent crimes but we will never have a non-violent society when we continue to mistreat and kill harmless and innocent animals. We learn from day one that certain animals' lives are worthless compared to human life and they should be sacrificed for food on our table.
Cows, pigs, chickens, lambs, etc were not put on this earth for them to be slaughtered for our own selfish needs. They deserve to live their lives free from suffering, just as we do.
I cannot understand that people can look at certain animals in high esteem and treat others so poorly. Who has the right to put value on one life over another and who should decide whose lives are worthless compared to the almighty dollar?
Raising the production bar will be the theme of the annual Atlantic cranberry management course.
This year’s session is slated for March 10-12 at the Westin Nova Scotia Hotel in Halifax. Last year’s session was held in Charlottetown. Registration begins Wednesday at 5 p.m. and there will be a wine and cheese reception from 7-9 p.m.
The session begins in earnest Thursday morning with a welcome from Blake Johnston, president, Nova Scotia Cranberry Growers Association and a workshop session on Engineering and Bed Design (Building beds, Water Control and Drainage).
Insurance may offer you $10,000 for a leg, $6,000 for an arm, but fingers only net about $900. What dollar value would assign to your body? How about your life? And what would the real costs of injury or death mean to you, your family and your business? “Plan • Farm • Safety” is the theme of this three-year Canadian Agricultural Safety campaign. Each aspect of the theme will be promoted over the next three years. This year the campaign will promote "Plan" with safety walkabouts and planning for safety. In the second year, the focus will be on "Farm" including implementation, documentation and training. In the third year, emphasis will be on "Safety" including assessment, improvement and further development of safety systems.
To help celebrate its 25th year in business, a Winnipeg company is asking beef producers to help provide a steak for soldiers returning from Afghanistan.
Originally, Harvey Dann of Alert Agri-Distribitors had hoped to provide a steak to every Canadian soldier serving in that country. However, after he was told by the military the logistics would be next to impossible, he settled on a new approach. Now, he is hoping to provide every soldier and their spouse with a steak when they return to their home base in Canada between now and when troops are are withdrawn from that war zone in 2011.
That’s 12,000 steaks and Dann quickly realized he might need some help. That’s when he turned to producers across the country. The P.E.I. Cattle Producers is planning to make a donation on behalf of its board of directors, and executive director Rinnie Bradley is hoping individual producers will also lend a hand.
Katie Blaisdell of Souris rolls a bowling ball down her lane during the annual Big Brothers/Big Sisters of PEI Bowl for Kid’s Sake event which took place Sunday at the Eastern Kings Sportsplex. All money raised from the tournament, which is held across PEI each year, goes to support Big Brothers/Big Sisters of PEI, who match children with mentors. Chris McGarry photo
Colleen Doucette was one of more than three dozen competitors who participated in the annual Big Brothers/Big Sisters of PEI Bowl for Kid’s Sake event. All money raised from the tournament goes to support Big Brothers/Big Sisters of PEI. Chris McGarry photo
Dustin Duncan of Souris throws a bowling ball at the annual Big Brothers/Big Sisters of PEI Bowl for Kid’s Sake event which took place Sunday at the Eastern Kings Sportsplex in Souris.
Chris McGarry photo
Yvonne Kemp of Gaspereaux is one of the crafters who showed her handmade quilts and knitting at the Craft Show recently put on by the Buy Rite store in the Down East Mall, Montague. Ms Kemp is also a doll maker. Teri Morris photo
June and Keith Haight, of Charlottetown and formerly from Montague, are well known crafters who still return to Montague to shop at the Buy Rite. They enjoyed the day displaying June’s knitting. Teri Morris photo
Culinary tourism was the major emphasis of the recent annual meeting of the Tourism Association of P.E.I.
Chefs Anna and Michael Olson from Niagara, Ontario, delivered the keynote address for the two day conference. Celebrity chef Anna Olson is the well known host of two cooking programs, Sugar, and Fresh, with Anna Olson, which air in Canada on the Food Network as well as in 40 countries worldwide. Chef Anna has authored six cookbooks, two of which were written with her husband Michael.
After a nine year stint at famous On The Twenty Restaurant in Jordan, Ontario, Chef Michael, has been a chef professor at the Niagara Culinary Institute since January 2001. Chef Michael has been credited with pioneering the use of fresh local ingredients and working with farmers to develop a distinctive, wine-friendly "Niagara Cuisine".
If you had some sort of financial incentive would you work toward certifying your farm as safe? Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan may have a deal for you.
The concept of a ‘Certified Safe Farm’ began as an experimental program at the University of Iowa in 1998. Iowa producers who achieved Certified Safe Farm status were rewarded with reduced health-care premiums along with the other cost saving aspects of the program, and the combined financial incentive was effective in reducing farm-related injuries and illnesses.
The former potato specialist with the P.E.I. Department of Agriculture is now part of the AgraPoint team.
Rachael Cheverie will begin working part-time with vegetable and berry growers in March out of the company’s Truro office. During the peak growing seasons she will also work out of Kentville.
“We are so excited to be bringing such a seasoned and well-respected professional onto the AgraPoint team,” said Findlay MacRae, AgraPoint’s Chief Operating Officer. “Rachael’s well-rounded horticultural skills, including her extensive experience in potatoes and integrated pest management for a wide range of crops, will mean she is positioned to have an immediate and positive impact on the province’s horticultural industry.”
Cheverie will be working closely with AgraPoint’s other horticulturists to become integrated and engaged in all the horticultural sectors.
Colton Matheson, now well into the 2010 Easter Seals campaign, of which he is Ambassador, continues to smile as wide as his repertoire of songs and charm anyone fortunate to meet this congenial young man.
Colton has had a busy schedule leading up to the Easter Seals telethon which is scheduled for March 28 but he still manages to find time to dream.
If Colton had one day that he could do anything he chose he said he'd want to "make a movie", which goes hand in hand with his already celebrity status of sorts, which he said, "I love it."
But before Colton appears on the big screen he's happy to entertain on smaller stages around the Island and particularly in eastern PEI. He's a regular at benefit concerts and public performances where he inevitably earns thundering applause for his music and dance moves.
Opposition Leader Olive Crane is calling on Agriculture Minister George Webster to convene an emergency meeting of the red meat sector in this province.
"The decision by Maple Leaf Foods to close the kill/cut operations at its Larsen's plant in
Berwick, N. S., could wipe out what's left of the hog industry in Prince Edward Island and
frankly, we in the Opposition cannot stand by and let this happen," said Crane. "We are asking
the Ghiz government to stand up for the future of our agriculture industry in this province and
our rural Island communities."
Crane stressed that P.E.I., only a few years ago had a $100-million hog industry. "We have a real
crisis here. Who would believe that in the long history of this province that the day would come
when this industry would be virtually wiped out? It's shocking and it's sad and it didn't need to
happen."
“The Building Blocks of Success” will be the theme of the Diary Focus conference being held March 23-25 at the Old Orchard Inn in Greenwich, Nova Scotia.
Prior to the official start of the conference, there will be a farm tour Tuesday led by two of the main conference speakers - Dr. Joep Driessen and Jack Rodenburg. Delegates will visit Grant Holdings in Hardwoodlands and Bokma Farms Ltd. in Shubenacadie.
That evening, there will be a special session on making cow signals work for you at Biggs Farm, Grand Pre. Have a specific hands-on discussion in a small group setting with Joep Driessen. The Tuesday sessions are not included in the convention registration and must be registered for separately. Spaces allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Canadian pork producers now have more time to apply for government-backed long-term loans. The deadline to apply for a loan under the Hog Industry Loan Loss Reserve Program (HILLRP) has been extended from March 1 to March 26th, 2010.
"Producers have told me they need more time to develop their business plans, meet with lenders, and to negotiate the best terms and rates for their operations, and we've listened," said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz.
"We put Farmers First in the design of our programs, and being flexible with the deadline is a simple way to make the program more responsive to producers' needs," said Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister of State (Agriculture).
Farmers are being squeezed by the "raw economic power" of the large corporations, and there is nothing fair or just in any of it, retired journalist Ian Pitrie told the annual meeting of the PEI Soil and Crop Association.
It all starts with Walmart, the veteran reporter said. "Their business model is the exact opposite of farmers. They don't produce anything yet they wield tremendous economic power." Now the philosophy simply is "if you don't sell cheap you don't make the sale."
Then in The Guardian on Tuesday, February 23 Peter Van Loan, minister of International trade debates a letter from Leo Broderick, Charlottetown Guardian February 20 re: "Buy American deal will hit PEI hard."
The title of Peter Van Loan's letter is Free Trade creates jobs.
The Buy American agreement we negotiated with the United States will keep the door open for our businesses and workers to continue to compete on the world stage.
The bottom line for any business is profitability. An important part of maximizing profits is minimizing losses – and that includes losses due to injury, illness, or death of the farmer, farm family, or farm workers.
“Plan • Farm • Safety.” is the theme of this three-year Canadian Agricultural Safety campaign. Each aspect of the theme will be promoted over the next three years. This year the campaign will promote "Plan" with safety walkabouts and planning for safety. In the second year, the focus will be on "Farm" including implementation, documentation and training. In the third year, emphasis will be on "Safety" including assessment, improvement and further development of safety systems.
The PEI Easter Beef Show & Sale is scheduled to take place March 11 and 12 at the Canada Games Trade Centre in Charlottetown.
The Show & Sale is in its 59th year and is a rite of spring taking place each year three weeks before Easter. This year the judging team of Lee and Dawn Wilson will travel from Bashaw, Alberta to assess the 85 beef animals entered in the Show.
The entries include 16 youth competitors from the Island 4-H program with the remainder from top cattle operations from across the province.
This year’s President, Jeff Matheson from Montague will oversee the activities which include competitions in 4-H conformation and showmanship classes, open breed classes and fund raising for the Easter Seals campaign.
The Show will commence on Thursday, March 11th at 10 a.m. with the 4-H program and continue throughout the day culminating with the selection of the Grand Champion of the Show.
Lyle Dobbin of Halifax, who is the youngest grandson of Alice Greene of Montague recently competed in a world debate in Doha, Qatar.
The Canadian team was ranked second after preliminary rounds, defeated Ireland in the octo-finals, beat New Zealand in the quarter finals, and Singapore in the semi-finals, rounding up the debate by defeating the defending champion team from England.
Five students from each country compete in the debate. Some of the subjects they've debated include a country’s right to own nuclear weapons, a doctor’s obligation to report signs of marital abuse, and the need for military intervention in Somalia.
Dobbin spends his summers in Brudenell.
"I think he is pretty special, and I am as proud as can be," Mrs Greene said.
The Egg Producers of P.E.I. is withdrawing a controversial proposal to limit the size of so called backyard flocks.
Producers can now have up to 299 laying hens without being part of the national quota system. The Egg Producers, which represents producers operating under the quota system, had made a formal request to the P.E.I. Marketing Council earlier this year to have that number reduced to 49.
The maximum number of unregulated producers is set by each province and the general manager of Egg Producers of P.E.I. said a number of other provinces have already taken steps to reduce the unregulated flocks.
“We decided to explore that option as well,” said Michael Cummisky.
The move generated a backlash from small producers, who sell predominately at farmer’s markets or directly to the consumers at the farm gate. The legislature Standing Committee on Agriculture was studying the situation.
Total sales of fruits and vegetables by Canadian farmers amounted to $1.5 billion in 2009, up 3.6% or $50.5 million over 2008. Vegetable crops accounted for 53.0% of the total fruit and vegetable sales.
Vegetable farmers earned $773 million, up 17.8% or $117 million from 2008. This increase was driven by sales gains in the fresh market, especially carrots (+26.0%), lettuce (+51.6%) and corn (+23.6%).
As is the case historically, about three-quarters of the value of vegetables came from fresh market sales in 2009, while the rest came from sales to processors.
Farmers planted 555,470 acres in fruits and vegetables, up 1.1% from 2008. Production of fruits and vegetables increased 4.6% with most of the gain accounted for by lettuce (+34.9%), carrots (+32.5%) and onions (+30.6%).
Devon Jonah Sims, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 30 months less time served, to be served in a federal institution after pleading guilty to six charges of breaking and entering into residences in Kings and Queens Counties.
The offenses took place between January 6 and 21 and included two incidents in Montague, one in Bellevue, one in New Perth and two in Pownal. In all six instances, the accused kicked open locked doors, and stole property including TVs, laptops, jewelry, video game consoles, cash and gift cards.
At the Bellevue residence, four firearms were stolen and are still missing. Some items were recovered but many were not.
The very thing some people loathe about living on this small Island is often our best ally.
One of our greatest assets is the fact that most people know someone who knows someone else who knows others.
Bewildering perhaps to anyone who doesn't understand the word-of-mouth process of spreading information and certainly a thorn in the side of those who don't want anyone else to know what they're up to.
Among those who'd give the unofficial Island grapevine a thumbs down are the three individuals accused of running over and killing a fox with their snowmobiles this winter.
Guilty or not their names are out there and they have already been tried by the court of public opinion.
All it took to gather some information on the crime was to put out a public plea. Remember this is a small Island and the only time a secret is safe is if you tell no one.
This past week Wes Sheridan admitted that the Harness Racing PEI concept wasn’t working and changes were necessary. Hopefully he won’t compound the error by turning things over to Atlantic Lotto. And BTW, I’m not taking credit for anything, but perhaps we have at least helped clarify some of the issues.
The general manager candidates and those involved in his/her hiring, might even want to check out some of the columns we have written since 2005 on the subject. They are archived online at www.maritimeclassics.net
The P.E.I. Institute of Agrologists is putting together a conference on “championing agriculture” with funding help from the Premier’s Innovative Speaking Series.
The institute’s proposal was one of five approved in the first round of funding for the series. Institute spokesman Brian Beaton said they are hoping to bring in an internationally renowned speaker for the event—tentatively planned for November.
The Premier’s Innovation Speaker Series, an initiative of the Island Prosperity Strategy, is designed to advance knowledge and activities in the priority sectors of bioscience, including agriculture and fisheries, aerospace, information technology and renewable energy.
“Our goal is to bring world-class experts to Prince Edward Island to share their ideas and knowledge with our academic and business communities to promote economic growth through innovation,” said Innovation Minister Allan Campbell.
Growing up on a farm can be a wonderful experience for children, however without proper supervision it can result in tragedy.
Between 1990 and 2004, 209 children under fifteen years old were killed on Canadian farms; and from 1990 to 2000 an additional 1,886 children were hospitalized for farm-related injuries reports the Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting program (CAIR).
“A farm is an industrial work site,” said Marcel Hacault, CASA Executive Director. “You wouldn’t think of letting your children play unsupervised in an active construction site – so why would you turn them loose on a farm?”
An important part of effective farm management is hiring and keeping quality farm labour, often in competition with non-farm employers for skilled workers. There are a number of things that should be considered in the hiring process to help ensure that you hire the right person.
“Plan • Farm • Safety.” is the theme of this three-year Canadian Agricultural Safety campaign. Each aspect of the theme will be promoted over the next three years. This year the campaign will promote "Plan" with safety walkabouts and planning for safety. In the second year, the focus will be on "Farm" including implementation, documentation and training. In the third year, emphasis will be on "Safety" including assessment, improvement and further development of safety systems.
Donald Anderson, a long-time general manager of the P.E.I. Potato Board and member of the Atlantic Agricultural Hall of Fame, passed away at his home in St Peters March 1.
He was 83. Donald Garth Anderson was born on October 10, 1927 in St. Peter's on a family farm first settled by his great grandfather some 200 years ago. Don received his early education at St. Peter's Elementary, St. Peter's High School, and he attended Prince of Wales College in Charlottetown for two years. He continued his education for one year at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in Truro and returned to the family farm, which over the years has grown to a 500-acre mixed farming operation in dairy and potatoes.
The province’s beleaguered hog industry has been dealt yet another blow.
Larsen Packers Ltd has announced it will stop processing fresh hogs March 26. The general manager of the P.E.I. Hog Board said about half of the 22 hog producers left in the province are currently shipping to the plant in Berwick, Nova Scotia.
“In terms of volume, it varies from week to week,” said Tim Seeber. “It can be as low as 200 animals and as high as 800 or 900.”
Seeber explained the other half of Island production (along with production in other Maritime provinces) is under long term contracts to plants in Quebec—most notably duBreton. That meant that even though there was still enough hogs in the region to ensure the 1,500 to 2,000 hogs per week, Larsen’s needed, the company was actually bringing in animals from Ontario to supplement what it was buying in the Maritimes.
The success of the “Hardwick Model” will be shared with delegates to the annual meeting of the P.E.I. ADAPT Council.
The meeting is scheduled for March 24 at the Charlottetown Hotel. Tom Gilbert, who is executive director of the Highfield Centre for Composting and a director of the Centre for an Agricultural Economy in Hardwick, Vermont, will be the guest speaker.
Tom is a Certified Compost Specialist (U.Maine/Orono Compost School), has 12 years experience working in agriculture and composting, and is Vice President of the Composting Association of Vermont. He has a BA with emphasis on composting and sustainable agriculture from The Evergreen State College, in Washington State. While a student there, he designed the college’s composting facility.
A few months ago, my daughter came over on her way home from a used book sale with a grin on her face a mile wide.
She had been looking for books to read to her two year old, and showed off the treasures she had found. One gem in particular delighted her.
It was a great big book entitled "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel", by Virginia Lee Burton.
Now it was my turn to grin. "Oh, he’s gonna love that," I said.
My daughter beamed. "I know! I remember how much we loved having you read this to us as kids!"
"But do you remember why ...?" I asked, my grin wider. "I do."
See, I remember "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel" well. Very well. Almost word for word.
Over the next four years, a federal investment of $1.2 million will help the Canadian Young farmer’s Forum provide opportunities to educate and develop young and beginning farmers across the country.
"Agriculture is a powerful economic driver in Canada," said the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister of State (Agriculture) in making the announcement at a national young farmer’s meeting in Niagara Falls, Ontario. "With this investment, our Government is not only helping young farmers, we are also investing in the future of agriculture."
Established in 1997, CYFF promotes the exchange of ideas and fosters collaboration among young and future farmers in Canada. The Government of Canada's investment in CYFF will help young farmers stay on the leading edge of change.
Specifically, the investment will go towards:
An annual tradition continues this week when players from the Montague Norsemen Pee Wee team takes a trip to Mount Hamilton, Ontario for some hockey and friendship with the youths in that town.
The Montague Norsemen and the Mount Hamilton Blues are taking part in the 42nd annual friendship tournament. The Norsemen will leave for Ontario on Thursday, March 11 and will spend seven days there. The players will be billeted with the Mount Hamilton players while the Montague parents will stay in a nearby hotel.
The tournament had its origins when Ernie MacKenzie, formerly of the 48 Road, moved to Ontario in the 1960s to work in the steel industry. At that time, he coached a Pee Wee team in Mount Hamilton and got the idea of setting up a friendship tournament between Mount Hamilton and the Montague Pee Wees, so he contacted his sister Mary Henneberry of Roseneath about setting it up.
Montague Storm Midget A basketball team finished the regular schedule with a 12-0 record and this week polished off the season by winning the PEI championship.
The Storm defeated Miscouche Mustangs in the final game at Montague High on Wednesday.
The game was fast paced and at the half, the Storm led 26-23 thanks to the Mustangs going 3-24 at the foul line. Josh Black fouling out, fueled a furious comeback, but Miscouche fell short and at the final buzzer the numbers on the scoreboard were 49-44 in Montague's favour.
Top players for Montague were MVP Josh Black with 24 rebounds and 11 points, Jagger Acorn 9, tourney all-star Ben Shaw 8, and Cody Forrester 7.
Montague Coach Kevin Jenkins said it was amazing to see the 250 or more people at the tournament.
"The team played well all year and deserved to win the gold medal," Jenkins said.
Montague Intermediate School Storm and Montague Regional High School Vikings won nine of a possible 10 medals recently at the Atlantic High School Wrestling Festival in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia.
More than 400 wrestlers competed in the event which was open to wrestlers in Grades 7 - 12, making it the largest school tournament east of Toronto. The Montague schools were the only two participants from PEI.
Montague High Vikings Garrett Robbins, Malek Sahouli and Phil Lanthier combined for enough points to place second as a team in the Senior Men’s division, just three points shy of the overall team title. Individually, Robbins went 7-1 to win bronze. Sahouli and Lanthier finished the two-day event undefeated at 5-0 and both won gold.
While he admits there's a lot of work ahead, Island Party interim leader Jay Gallant is looking to the success of parties in other Canadian provinces in the party’s efforts to give Islanders an alternative to the Liberals and Conservatives.
The new party gained official status Friday as representatives signed the necessary documents in Charlottetown. The party paid a $1,000 registration fee, and received "well over 400" signatures to receive official status, Mr Gallant said.
Mr Gallant said the party’s next step is to come up with policies and a platform in anticipation of a leadership convention which he hopes will take place in October or November, about a year before the next provincial election.
The situation in the red meat industry can best be described as “desperate”, executive members of National Farmers Union District 1, Region 1 told Agriculture Minister George Webster during a recent meeting.
“Farmers have left the industry in large numbers and more are planning to do so in the very near future unless conditions improve,” District Director Elwin Wyand and Edith Ling, the women’s district director said during the late February meeting. “Farmers are currently receiving $1.36 per lb. dressed, when we need $1.75 per lb. dressed to break even. How long can beef farmers survive at this rate?”
They asked Webster what the province was doing to maintain both the industry and the Atlantic Beef Products Inc. plant in Albany. The NFU would like to see a government loan guarantee for beef farmers purchasing cattle.
"In the larger accounting then, industrial agriculture is a failure on its way to being a catastrophe." Those words weren’t written just recently by a farmer or consumer who was beginning to see just how seriously conventional agriculture has been misguided, but rather by Wendell Berry back in an essay in 1978. According to him and some other experienced observers, the misguidance has been economic, agronomic and cultural, as well as educational.
Chile has joined Haiti in suffering through a horrific natural disaster. Canadians and Prince Edward Islanders should not be complacent. We are susceptible to a similar event. PEI was affected by a magnitude 7.2 quake on November 18, 1929.
Known by several names such as the Grand Banks earthquake and the South Shore disaster, this earth shaker’s epicenter was situated about 250 miles due south of Newfoundland. It was felt as far away as Montreal and New York City.
Souris and the surrounding area were affected. My dad and his oldest brother had experienced the Halifax Explosion of December 6, 1917. Uncle Russell was in school and dad at home. Dishes rattled and fell. A window pane cracked in the house. The initial thought was since this war, Souris was being shelled by the enemy.
Over the last couple of years, many of you have participated in the Crop Insurance Discount Program offered by the PEI Department of Agriculture. The program was quite successful and was designed to help producers become more comfortable with nutrient management.
The program offered a significant discount on crop insurance premiums, if growers worked with a certified nutrient management planner and completed split field trials comparing their ‘farmer’ inputs to nutrient management recommendations.
We offered to hear from Canadians on this issue and they have already spoken loud and clear. They overwhelmingly do not want to open the issue. The government will not proceed any further to change the national anthem."
... Dimitri N Soudas, the prime minister’s office.
The above email was received by this scribe on the evening of Friday, March 4, at 6.25pm AST. Now this is pretty thrilling stuff for one such as me. I mean, good heavens above, an email direct from the famous PMO (prime minister’s office).
Me. Pretty small potatoes. But there I am, apparently on a list to receive first-hand such an important message.
But then I wonder, how did they get my email address? Does this mean they are watching me, and reading all the uncomplimentary stuff I scribble about Steven Harper and his lot? You can get pretty paranoid at this pundit game, doncha know.
The Village of Murray Harbour recently hosted an outdoor Olympic celebration in honour of Heather Moyse and all the Canadian athletes. In addition to games and races, there was a Snowman Contest, and medal presentations, followed by hot chocolate and cake which was enjoyed by all. The cake was donated by the PEI Street Rod Association, and refreshments were served by the Murray Harbour Drama Club. Medals and prizes were presented to, from left, Keaton Bushey, Christian Howe, Kody MacKay, Madison Pollard, Bailee Sentner, Arielle MacKinnon and Kaitlin Mackay. Submitted photo
The winners of the snowman contest in the photo on the right were, from left, Madison Pollard, Arielle MacKinnon, Kaitlin Mackay and Bailee Sentner. Congratulations and thanks to all who participated. Submitted photo
Nancy K. Orr of Hunter River has been named one of eight recipients of 2009 Co-operators/4-H National Volunteer Leader of the Year Award.
Orr will receive a $100 gift, as well as Co-operators and 4-H products. A judge of the Provincial Court, Orr was nominated by her club, the Cavendish 4-H Club, and has more than 30 years of 4-H leader experience.
Nancy has been overall leader of the Cavendish 4-H club for much of her time with the club, however she has also been a project leader in knitting, sewing, and communications.
“Nancy has given countless hours of her free time at all levels of the 4-H program in Prince Edward Island,” her club wrote about her. “Nancy is a great leader and role model to all young people. Our club is very fortunate to have Nancy as a leader.”
On January 25, the RCMP Foundation donated $1,000 to the Souris Regional High School powerlifting team to assist with the purchase of powerlifting equipment. From the left are, Souris RCMP Sergeant Denis Morin, powerlifting team members Kelsey Cheverie, Kyler Burke and Coach Larry LeBlanc. Submitted photo
The following is a letter I received recently from Edith Perry of Millview: "After reading your column in this past week’s Eastern Graphic I thought I should pass on the list of what feathered friends visit my Feeders: Six Jays (of course!), several Black Capped Chickadees, a pair each of the Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, a flock (14 or so) of Mourning Doves which has lost two or three of their numbers to the Goshawk that lurks around here every winter for at least five or six winters, several Juncos, a flock (five to six) of American Finches that was joined last winter by a pair of Pine Siskins.
"The latter two species haven’t visited the feeders this winter. Yet! I do hear them around the yard at times. Nuthatches were regulars until I moved the suet hangers away from the large trees they found much easier to navigate. Sometimes a flock (five to six) of Purple Finches have also been fairly regular but not this winter.
Montague Regional High school will hold its last choir concert in that building on Thursday, March 25.
Students will move into a new school at the top of the Wood Islands Hill at a date not yet determined.
The theme of the concert, which has a 7pm start time, is Past, Present and Future. There will be performances by the choir, women's ensemble, family groups and possibly an alumni choir.
Tickets can be purchased from the choir students, or by calling the school at 838-0835. Advance tickets will be made available.
It is funny how things change sometimes. I was reminded of this recently when I received a glossy promotional magazine in my mail for one of Ontario’s farm organizations that discussed among other things a national food policy like they had invented the idea. One could only laugh that this organization had the gall to cry poor and force a fee increase for all farmers and then spent what has to have been thousands upon thousands of dollars promoting it.
A few years ago I was at a government consultation meeting around the future of agriculture. I was there representing the National Farmers Union and the thousands of farmers across Canada who have been talking and working on promoting the need for a national food policy and agricultural policies that actually focus on the needs and importance of family farmers.
After more than 15 years without a curling rink, the sport may be making a comeback in Souris.
The ice surface at the Eastern Kings Sportsplex will be turned into four sheets of curling ice as a bonspiel takes place on Easter weekend. More than 40 teams from across the Island have already signed up and there isn’t room for any more.
Town councilor Kenny Peters, who has the Sportsplex portfolio, said the hope is this upcoming event will be the precursor for curling to take place regularly at the Sportsplex during the next winter season.
He said while plans are subject to change, the hope is to have two consecutive days a week where the ice surface can be used for curling while hockey and other events can take place on the other five days. That would involve some juggling of the schedule but right now there are many free hours of ice time so the plan would be to fill in some of those hours.
Wade MacKinnon of the Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry has been added to the list of speakers for the district convention of the National Farmers Union, District 1, Region 1.
MacKinnon, who is a senior conservation officer with the department, will be speaking on environmental regulations as they apply to farmers. Edith Ling, the women’s district director, said Agriculture Minister George Webster has been invited to attend the meeting but will be out of the province for the March 18 event.
“We are hoping to have somebody from the provincial government address our meeting,” Ling said.
The keynote speaker for the event will be Joan Brady from Dashwood, Ontario. Brady is currently the national women’s president of the NFU and she will be touching on a number of national issues and initiatives being tackled by the group.
As the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) celebrates its 75th anniversary, the future of Canadian agriculture is at a crossroads and the future of food in this country is uncharted. Currently, Canada has no comprehensive strategy for agriculture and food production in the future. A Canadian agricultural strategy is necessary for building the future of Canadian agriculture.
It has often been said that, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Nowhere is this truer than in agriculture, where machinery or unpredictable livestock can take or devastate a life in an instant.
“Plan • Farm • Safety” is the theme of this three-year Canadian Agricultural Safety campaign. Each aspect of the theme will be promoted over the next three years. This year the campaign will promote "Plan" with safety walkabouts and planning for safety. In the second year, the focus will be on "Farm" including implementation, documentation and training. In the third year, emphasis will be on "Safety" including assessment, improvement and further development of safety systems.
The national award-winning Dr. Tim Ogilvie AVC Vet Camp provides an exciting and educational look into the world of veterinary medicine. In 2010, the Atlantic Veterinary College will offer an advanced Vet Camp for students grades 10, 11, and 12 for the first time.
The AVC Senior Vet Camp program will focus on offering students, who are interested in veterinary medicine and science, the opportunity to experience this career in a realistic and hands on way. While based on curriculum of the AVC Junior Vet Camp program, it has been modified to meet the needs and interest of senior high learners.
AVC Senior Vet Camp will run from July 26-30. Junior camps (for students entering grades 7, 8, and 9) run from July 5-9, 12-16, and 19-23.
Camp information and an online application form are available at www.upei.ca/avc/camp or (902) 566-0589. Deadline for applications is March 12, 2010.
It’s not always what you say that is most interesting, sometimes what you don’t say is far more telling. And in the case of Charlottetown accounting firm Arsenault Best Cameron Ellis what is of interest is whether the firm red flagged any issues surrounding the controversial Provincial Nominee Program.
Arsenault Best Cameron Ellis enjoyed a dual role in the provincial nominee story. On one level it acted as the auditor for Island Investment Development Inc., the provincial body that managed the PNP program. On the other hand it acted as one of seven provincially appointed intermediaries that matched potential immigrants to Island businesses, and in the process likely generated millions of dollars in revenue for the firm.
The Wood Islands Women’s Institute held its ninth annual Valentine’s Day Tea recently in support of the Southern Kings and Queens Food Bank, with dozens of people dropping in to enjoy the tea, sweets and other snacks which were served. The Women’s Institute raised $92 in cash and also received many donations of non-perishable items, which were presented to Lawrence and Marlene Power of the food bank. Back from left are food bank coordinator Lawrence Power, and Women’s Institute members Roberta Cook, Lillian Matheson, Linda White and Joan MacMillian. Front from left are Women’s Institute members Jean MacDonald, Lillian MacLeod and food bank secretary/treasurer Marlene Power. Submitted photo
Alexander Sanderson, who plays with the Souris Seahawks Pee Wee A team and Caleb Creed, a member of the Montague Norsemen Blue team got more than the thrill of seeing an NHL game live between the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs on the weekend - they also got to sit beside and meet former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. The boys flew to Ottawa with their dads Floyd Sanderson and Reuben Creed. Although there was a steady line of people asking for Mr Chrétien's photo and autograph he spoke to the boys during intermission and they had their photo taken with him and got a fun squeeze from the celebrity. Mr Chrétien told Alexander and Caleb to keep up their good work and have fun in minor hockey. Submitted photo
The ongoing crisis in Prince Edward Island’s agricultural sector has prompted Island New Democrat Leader James Rodd to call for a wholescale conversion to organic farming.
MONCTON — A $25,000 reward is now being offered for the return of Donna O’Rielly, the 54-year-old woman who disappeared Feb.
In late June 1927, Chief Prohibition Officer for Prince Edward Island George Barbour and his team of liquor inspectors made a sensational seizure of illegal liquor near Souris. Details of the seizure show that the officers involved had a decidedly exciting and interesting time–after all the days of Bonnie & Clyde were just round the corner...The Patriot, 21 June 1927.
George H(ilton) Barbour was born 5 September 1878 at Alma, near Alberton, Prince Edward Island. From 1918 to 1927, he was chief prohibition inspector for the province and became well known for his diligence, infamous raids and seizures in the traffic of illegal liquor. News papers of the 1920s are filled with the high jinks and escapades Barbour conducted. This is the story of one such adventure.
A few months ago, my daughter came over on her way home from a used book sale with a grin on her face a mile wide.
She had been looking for books to read to her two year old, and showed off the treasures she had found. One gem in particular delighted her.
It was a great big book entitled "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel", by Virginia Lee Burton.
Now it was my turn to grin. "Oh, he’s gonna love that," I said.
My daughter beamed. "I know! I remember how much we loved having you read this to us as kids!"
"But do you remember why ...?" I asked, my grin wider. "I do."
See, I remember "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel" well. Very well. Almost word for word.
We offered to hear from Canadians on this issue and they have already spoken loud and clear. They overwhelmingly do not want to open the issue. The government will not proceed any further to change the national anthem."
... Dimitri N Soudas, the prime minister’s office.
The above email was received by this scribe on the evening of Friday, March 4, at 6.25pm AST. Now this is pretty thrilling stuff for one such as me. I mean, good heavens above, an email direct from the famous PMO (prime minister’s office).
Me. Pretty small potatoes. But there I am, apparently on a list to receive first-hand such an important message.
But then I wonder, how did they get my email address? Does this mean they are watching me, and reading all the uncomplimentary stuff I scribble about Steven Harper and his lot? You can get pretty paranoid at this pundit game, doncha know.
It’s not always what you say that is most interesting, sometimes what you don’t say is far more telling. And in the case of Charlottetown accounting firm Arsenault Best Cameron Ellis what is of interest is whether the firm red flagged any issues surrounding the controversial Provincial Nominee Program.
Arsenault Best Cameron Ellis enjoyed a dual role in the provincial nominee story. On one level it acted as the auditor for Island Investment Development Inc., the provincial body that managed the PNP program. On the other hand it acted as one of seven provincially appointed intermediaries that matched potential immigrants to Island businesses, and in the process likely generated millions of dollars in revenue for the firm.
Strange as it may seem for a film that pits greedy, immoral humans against noble denizens of a faraway moon, "Avatar" is being criticized by a small but vocal group of people who allege it contains '[url=http://www.dvdcollecter.com/Disneys-Little-Einsteins-DVD-Box-set-1944.html]disney dvd collection[/url]' racist themes -- the white hero once again saving the primitive natives.
Since the film opened to widespread critical acclaim three weeks ago, hundreds of blog posts, newspaper articles, tweets and '[url=http://www.dvdcollecter.com/Star-Trek-The-Next-Generation-Seasons-1-7-DVD-Box-set-1722.html]star trek next generation dvd[/url]' YouTube videos have said things such as the film is "a fantasy about race told from the point of view of white people" and that it reinforces "the white Messiah fable."
The film's writer and director, James Cameron, says the real theme is about respecting others' differences(ishiner).
In the film (read no further if you don't want the plot spoiled for you) a white, paralyzed Marine, Jake Sully, is mentally linked to an alien's body and set loose on the planet Pandora. His mission: persuade the mystic, '[url=http://www.dvdcollecter.com/Star-Trek-Enterprise-Seasons-1-4-DVD-Box-set-1725.html]star trek entreprise dvd[/url]' nature-loving Na'vi to make way for humans to mine their land for unobtanium, worth $20 million per kilo back home.
Like Kevin Costner in "Dances with Wolves" and Tom Cruise in '[url=http://www.dvdcollecter.com/CSI-Miami-Seasons-1-7-DVD-Box-set-1929.html]csi miami dvd[/url]' "The Last Samurai" or as far back as Jimmy Stewart in the 1950 Western "Broken Arrow," Sully soon switches sides. He falls in love with the Na'vi princess and leads the bird-riding, bow-and-arrow-shooting aliens to victory over the white men's spaceships and mega-robots....
SOURIS - Tips to the Souris RCMP have resulted in solving a spate to thefts and vandalism in the Eastern Kings area.
Tuesday March 9, 2010
</ul>
3 geeks with their cameras
:: THE SMALL FANCY ::
A bit more detail (Randy MacDonald)
A quilt and a cake
Acts of Volition
All Shanadian (Shannon Courtney)
AmberMac
An Island Walk
Angels in our midst (Sandy Peardon)
Anne and Gilbert: The Musical
Autonorth (Mark Stevenson)
Be Humble
Beater Boys (Kier Kenny)
Billy blogs
Bloggins for Democracy (Mark Greenan)
Boyfriendly Cooking (Lana Stewart)
buzzing like a fridge
California Girl in PEI
Carol Little
Casa Mia Daily Specials
CBC PEI-Your View
CBC | Prince Edward Island News
CEO Blues
Charlottetown Police News Releases
Charlottetown Teen Zone
City of Charlottetown
Clean and Funny Jokes
Cory Thomas, City Councillor for Ward 8-Wilmot: City of Summerside
Cosmic Carousal (Jon Grady)
Cre8ive1 by Cuidado
Delta Tango Bravo
Don't Feed the Writer (Dave Moses)
Dunn Creek Organic Farm
E.T. Concentrators Car Club (Pex MacKay)
Early Childhood Development Assoc. of PEI
East Coast Style (Amanda Bulman)
EdTechTalk (Dave Cormier)
Election Canada 08 Disability
Erin's Pub
Focussed on Light (Stephen DesRoches)
freelantz.ca (Rob Lantz)
fried farts and vinegar (Dale McKie)
Future Web Design Blog
Gen X at 40
Get Healthy With Me
GlobalPOV (David Holtzman)
greenspree.ca (Andy Collier)
Island Energy
Island News from the Millmans
It's all good. (Lynda)
Jobo Designs
Just another round.
justpictureit
Karma and Shwarma
KATELYN FRASER PHOTO'S BLOG
Ken Wilson's Blog
Kent of the North (Kent Driscoll)
kuhlschrank.com (Andrea Vail)
Lady Teresa's Blog
Leafs4Life (Shawn MacLean)
Liberal Millionaires Club
Life a la jen mac
Location Independent Living (Gary Gray)
Maritime Penny Pinchers
Mark Hemphill
Matt Campbell
Meanwhile Studios (Troy Little)
Mental Trackmarks
morriscode (John Morris)
Motorcycle PEI
Music PEI News-discrimination in the music biz
My mom thinks I'm funny (Keely Turner)
Na Ceardan (Reji Martin in N. SK)
Nissology (Island Studies) PEI
NjN Videos
NJN-Network
No blog is an island
Not a Plastic Blog
Open eyes, open mind, open heart (Martha-Anne)
Panther Post
Parents for Choice and Quality
Peas on the Moon
PEI Disability Alert
PEI Poet Laureate
PEI Political Homepage
PEI Preschool Autism Services
PEI Rocket - your Island team
PEI Rocket Blog
PEICurling.com
PEIInfo.ca
Peter Simpson (Ottawa Citizen)
Positive Change Nutrition (Rachelle Wood)
pottery pei - Right Off the Batt » Clay Blog
Prince Edward Island Deaths
quantity over quality
Rachel Peters Photography
Random Thoughts in Random Order
Robert S. Coull, M.D. - Family Physician
ruk.ca from peter rukavina
Save Parkdale School
ScreenScape screen displays
shand.org.uk
Shizamo FEED
silverorange
silverorange stuff
Spector's Fox Sports Blog (Lyle Richardson)
Stephen Pate
Susan on Design (Susan Snow)
Sweet Spot Marketing
Sysop.ca
Tachyon City (Nathan Shumate)
The (Brian) Langille Show Video Blog
The Blog of Jillianne Hamilton
The Cairns Blog (John Cairns)
The Guardian: Blogs
The Hallway
The Island Voice Tribune
The Journal Pioneer: Blogs
The Len Currie Life
The Monkey Rodeo
This is life (Pat Garrity)
This is my world (Yuki Damon)
Tim Banks.ca
Today on PEI
tomato transplants
Tonight at City Cinema
Truths and Half Truths
Unmodern Mom
UPEI put accessible parking on campus
Vantage BizServices (Nancy Beth Guptill)
Veterans Affairs Canada - Press Releases Feed
Ward 3 Brighton (Rob Lantz)
We know stuff (trivia)
Weather for Charlottetown from the Weather Network
Whimfield-Modern Pre-Industrial Living
WhY Condos
Women's Equality PEI
Work. Family. Life (Jane Boyd)
Your Marketing Mavens (Moe Kerr)
