Page 6 Favorable forecast for Castor farmers By Grant McGuinty The drought in the West and lack of snow this winter are the only two black marks on what promises to be. a _ productive agricultural season for Castor area farmers. Peter Romme, a mixed farmer, says the season is looking good but deep frost in the ground has hindered drainage. "There was very little snow this winter so the ground froze solid and deep. The earth isn't breaking up as easy as it should. It's hurt my corn crop also," says Romme. The drought in the western pro- vinces has taken its toll on eastern farmers. Barley is expensive this year because the drought has caus- ed prices to jump from $150 a metric ton to $170. Morewood manufacturer riding the tide The sagging business market has claimed many victims but many have managed to ride the unpredictable tide. One is the multi-faceted Dutch- More Corporation of Morewood which is always looking at new ~ ways to offset the ill effects of the economy. The custom manufacturer, one of the largest companies in the Castor area, has been forced to layoff employees. Still, the com- pany employes 85 men and women with the number expected to jump to about 150 during the summer. : To remain viable, company owners Sjenny and Peter Lightfoot are planning to enlarge their trade area. Most customers are now contained in a 60-mile radius, although the company ships as far away as Venezuela and the North-West Territories. The Lightfoots are also modify- ing the product line slightly. Fur- niture such as night tables for a senior citizens' home and china cabinets is part of the expanding repertoire. Commercial buildings will also be custom-made at Morewood. They recently agreed to build a library for Casselman. The business evolved over 30 years from a one man operation run at home to a corporation that sprawls over 20 acres in Morewood and five acres in Ot- tawa. But it's still family run and the pride in the product remains -- the product being anything of- fered. by Dutch Sash and Door, Dutch Kraft Kitchens, More- wood Homes and Dutch Home and Building Centre. - Sjenny and Peter Lightfoot are the daughter and son-in-law of Adriaan Heuff, the dutchman who started the business in 1950. They -point out the airial photograph of the extensive grounds and outline the growth of the business. Adriaan Heuff was a bridge engineer in Holland. When he came to Canada he worked for a small sash and door company and in 1950 he struck out on his own, building windows, doors and canoes in the back shed of his house. "Tf there seemed to be a need for it, he provided it," says Mr. Lightfoot. "He took orders dur- ing the day and worked at night. Then it was a case of building a lean-to on the house.to accom- modate more business."' Eventually, other members of the family joined Mr. Heuff in the undertaking and for several years they operated in the centre of By Brenda Stewart *Morewood where the post office is now located. Finally, a 100-acre farm was purchased. The com- pany now operates on 29 acres of this land. The boats went by the wayside, but the kitchen cabinet and door business continued to grow. In 1963, the Ottawa location on Bonguard Street was purchased. For 10 years, it operated as a kit- chen cabinet manufacturing plant; then that aspect was moved to Morewood leaving a showroom and sales outlet in Ottawa. Nothing seemed to keep company down. In 1967, a wiped out half of the produc and milling plants; the family simply rebuilt, only this time much larger. Four years later, the largest part of the business began -- Moré-Wood Homes. "'This idea of building homes inside a plant has 'gone over very well,' says Mr. Lightfoot. "For Several years we built very basic homes with great success, but in the last few years we have branch- ed out into models that are quite different. Now, we do quoting on custom homes." '*We are our own suppliers for the cabinets, doors and windows. This cuts on hassles that can occur when dealing with suppliers," says Mrs. Lightfoot. A tour of the 60,000 square- foot plant revealed various homes in different stages of completion. They range from a floor waiting for walls, to a home being wrap- ped in plastic for transport to Arnprior. The houses are built in two to six sections, complete with flooring, carpets, plumbing and electrical wiring. ° All one needs is a lot, a founda- tion, and an idea. From these Peter Lightfoot Maria and Bianca's Gift and Variety Shop Specials from June 16-30 Primo Pasta 900 gm 99c Spaghetti, Rigantoni, Elbow macaroni, Lasagna etc. Primo Cookies 20% off Don't Forget Dad on June 15 we have a great assortment of Hallmark Cards and wrapping paper. 95 Mill St., Russell prerequisites, a basic two- bedroom. bungalow or a 2,216 square-foot split level with a two car garage can develop. According to Mr. Lightfoot, customers these days are more energy conscious. They are asking for triple glazed windows -- three sheets of glass -- and deeper walls to accommodate more insulation. This concept of building homes has given the company constant access to skilled and experienced tradesmen. $ United States' foreign policy has aided area corn farmers. Presi- dent Jimmy Carter's trade restric- tions on the Soviet Union have produced a surplus of corn. Prices have dropped from $140 a metric ton to $135. This is welcomed by farmers with corn crop because western Ontario isn't expecting a surplus of corn seed this year. Higher prices would have been a certain- ty. But Mr. Romme, regional director of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, says the low price of corn seed will catch up to farmers in the near future. "'The market for years to come will be hurt by the surplus. Trade restrictions are going to do more harm than good to the economy because a heavy surplus of corn now means that in the future farmers will be paid for not grow- ing the crop."' Bert Vedder, a dairy farmer, says the weather has to get warmer soon for the crops to grow. "*We need more warm days and fewer cold nights. The deep frost -in the ground has produced a sub- par forage legume. Farmers might have to buy some extra protein this winter, as haylage in the silo. This heavy demand could cause the price of soya bean to in- crease."' Vedder says the milk market is promising this year and there should not be the overload pro- blems that have frustrated dairy farmers in the past. Meteorologists are hesitant on predicting weather patterns for the summer but seem confident Ontario farmers won't be forced with a drought. A warm June is probable and that spells produc- tivity for Castor area farmers. Lower rates boosts business By Marion Buttars Snowed in all winter by high in- terest rates, the Russell-Embrun business community found the return of spring and lower interest rates a breath of fresh air. "The phone rings more often and more business trickles in", said Albert. Sauvé of Century 21 Pentagon Realty Ltd. 'Statistics at the Russell Registry Office showed land registrations dropped 31 per cent from last year in Russell when mortgage interest rates jumped to 16 1/2 per cent during March. "Not as many mortgages were taken out", said. lawyer Jim Baribault of Baribault, Beseau, Campbell and Associates. "'Things were quiet in February, March and April." Even banks hadn't expected the turn of events. "In September, Canada Sav- ings Bonds included reasonable interest rates and we thought they would' remain stable", said NH 270 eel NH 67 W/thrower N 1 MF No.9 11H 46 For Parts 11H 46 1 Cockshutt 620 12D 480 1 AC 390 1 NI 270 Cut Ditioner 1 460 2wd 57 hp. 1 460 3wd wiloader 1 480 2wd wiloader 1 Ford 5000 wiloader 11H W4 Georges Cardinal, manager of the Caisse Populaire St. Jacques. '*Even the experts were wrong...they thought rates would lower by the end of February."' Mr. Cardinal said the Caisse Populaire reported no increase in total assets between October and May, and was actually $4,000 lower in total assets than at the end of the fiscal year in September 1979. The bank is offering mortgage loans on a one or two-year basis now rather than a five-year term. "It's difficult to decide the length of terms", said Mr. Car- dinal. "Mortgage interest rates are at 13 per cent as compared to 10 1/2 per cent of last year. And car loans are just barely beginning to pick up again."' "Our sales dropped 30 per cent during March", said Raymond Gregoire of A. & R. Gregoire Automobile Ltd. "They're much better now but I don't think we'll see interest rates go down much Erik Therkelsen i=] &SonsLtd. All USED BALERS USED HAYBINES 1 Cockshutt 502 Sp. w/conditioner 2 BMB Rotary Mower (NEW) $200 rebate on EBRO tractor for the Month of June 1 470 2wd wiloader and cap USED TRACTORS 1 Ford CI 20 Skidsteer Loader Box 254 Russell, Ont: Bus. 445-2818 Res. 445-2899 more." Because car insurance became mandatory for automobiles this year, the Sterling G. Sheldrick In- surance Co. didn't notice a decrease in business. ""However, there were not as many substitutions for new cars", said Emily Sheldrick. "People are going to smaller four-cylinder cars." She said people were opting for additional premium costs in house insurance for better coverage of replacement costs. Bank of Nova Scotia manager I.A. Desjardins said banks were seeing less of the six-month interest-free payments on farm machinery. "Farm machinery really went up", he said. "The high cost of merchandise equals the other high interest rates." Farm equipment dealer Eric Therkelsen said farmers were buy- ing equipment but not "'big ticket items" like combines and tractors. $1800 $1500 $800 $400 each $$800 $3900 $1200 $200 $950 $500 $1795 $1500 $2900 $1500 $750 each (NEW TRACTORS) $10,900 $14,600 $16,000 $12,800 $3500 $995 $6900