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,, 4;. 0 . «a... n._‘ ._H_ _-_A‘c, A H also had its plant stories. One 'single garden bed had over 10,000 plants in it and it was spectacular - I could not get the whole garden into a picture even with a wide angle lens. The experimental gardens of Epcot were pretty interesting with their emphasis on hydroponic growing and crop experiments. All of the lettuce and herbs for the Epcot restaurant are actually grown in the greenhouses which are part of the exhibit. One interesting crop being grown up a lattice was pumpkin. These "spookie" pumpkins were growing on vines that had to reach 20 feet up into the air. That's a long way up to grow a pumpkin; using this vertical gardening though they managed to grow a lot more pumpkins in a smaller space. The lettuce crop was grown in a triangular frame. The explanation of this might seem a bit complicated, but imagine three sheets of plywood nailed together to form a triangle. The two sides facing up are drilled with rows of holes measuring approximately two inches across. The lettuce seedlings are put into special cups which fit into these holes and as the roots grow down into the middle of the triangle, they get sprayed regularly with a water and fertilizer mixture. Nice looking lettuce. Now if you understood all that, you will quickly imagine that you can grow a lot of "lettuce in a pretty small space (I'm tempted to try it in our greenhouses next fall - fresh salads in November). An interesting bit of information was that the insects in the greenhouses at Epcot were controlled with biological and nonâ€"chemical controls. Different parasite insects attacked other problem insects; sticky paper traps caught flying aphids and whitefly. No chemicals; it was encouraging to see that this approach was being used by this leader in plant research. (We use most of these techniques in our greenhouses too so I know they work). I believe that they use insecticidal soap when the problem gets out of hand. It's difficult to really give a full picture of the horticultural programmes at Disney World; it's a huge, amazingly interesting place. I was impressed and quite frankly, I did not think I would be. I can recommend Disney World as a great place to take the family and if you do go â€" be sure to take time to see the flowers. â€" byDoug Green N.F.U. Protests U.S. Action Rayeâ€"Anne Briscoe, Region 3 (Ont) Coâ€"ordinator, National Farmers' Union, says the recent offer of the U.S. government to subsidize the sale of 1 million tonnes of wheat to the People's Republic of China is regarded by the NFU as another hostile trading action against Canada. In a telegram sent to the Hon. Charles Mayer, Minister Responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board, NFU President Wayne Easter has requested the federal government protest to Washington in the strongest possible terms. "Past U.S. assurances that they are not directing their grain trade war at us is beginning to wear a little thin when they continue to offer subsidized grain sales to countries where we have held traditional markets such as Algeria, Saudi Arabia and now China. This will once again require the Canadian Wheat Board to match subsidized prices if it wishes to compete," Easter stated. The NFU President said the Canadian Wheat Board has continued to move large volumes of grain in this crop year in spite of the grain trade war but at prices well below farmers' costs of production. "There is little doubt in our minds that the government will need to supplement the grains income short fall this year well above the $1 billion payment now being dispersed to producers. The NFU will once again be striving to have such payments linked in principle to grains marketed rather than on an acreage formula which bears no direct relationship to product price," Easter concluded. Eyeâ€"11mm Transfer Book Published by NFU With the farm financial crisis taking such a toll on established farmers, the odds against young people entering and surviving in a farming career are high. But to many of the youth within the National F armers' Union (NFU), those odds represent a challenge rather than an insurmountable obstacle. Gwen Hamblin of Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan, and Rhonda Green of Swift Current, Saskatchewan, are two young people who believe that farm families can overcome the barriers that keep farm youth from taking over their parents' tradition on the land. Hamblin, the Youth President of the NFU, and Green, the NFU's Youth Vice-President, unveiled a new resource manual designed to help families negotiate the intergenerational farm transfer maze. At a news conference in Regina, January 26, the two youth officials of the NFU explained that the new book entitled, Farm Transfers: Generation to Generation, will provide valuable advice for farm families who are already involved in the process or who are about to launch their own transfers. "The book addresses many of the larger problems confronting farmers," explained Hamblin, “such as high costs and low commodity prices. But it also goes beyond these issues to analyze how farm families can withstand these pressures through increased com munication and better mutual understanding of each other's goals." Green added that there is "a very real concern that farming is becoming inaccessible" to the new generation. "All anyone has to do is look at the average age of farmers in their own community to see the trend. In fact the process of young people being forced off the land has become so accepted that many people don't even see it as a problem.“ Hamblin pointed out that in many instances, there is pressure from the youth's own family to find alternative career choices. "The home is where the problems, both large and small, eventually surface," she said. "That‘s why the family is the starting point for this resource manual. It's designed to help people come to grips with problems that they can solve at the family level, such as dealing with stress and understanding the causes of the farm crisis, so that they can work collectively with other farmers to implement more progressive policies." The book, which was published with financial assistance from the federal Secretary of State, is designed as a handsâ€"on resource manual that guides families through the whole intergenerational farm transfer process, from the planning stages, through financial arrangements and other areas. It also provides some historical background on the factors which created the farm financial crisis. The research for the book was conducted by NFU youth in 1986. The NFU youth leaders are embarking on a crossâ€"Canada tour to promote the book through NFU locals and districts. "We plan to use this book as an educational tool for the use of farmers out in the countryside," Hamblin concluded. "It contains much valuable information which will be of concrete assistance to all farmers.“ Contact: GTven Hamblin or Rhonda Green (306) 652-9465 Raye-Anne Briscoe (613) 432-5728 NORTH LEEDS LANTERN 19 LEEDS AGRI-NEWS Way The Ontario Junior Farmers have Century Farm Signs for anyone who has century farm or anyone who wishes to replace an old sign. Applications are available from the O.M.A.F. office or contact Richard Shane, 342â€"6454. Retail Sales Tax Effective January 17, 1987, materials required to construct farm grain storage bins and dryers are exempt from sales tax. To obtain exemption, farmers must provide purchase exemption certificates to their suppliers. Contractors who erect these structures for farmers may also purchase the materials exempt from tax. They must provide their suppliers with purchase exemption certificates stating that the materials are for the construction of grain storage bins or grain dryers. Leeds National Farmers' Union Banguet - March 9,198? It will be held in the Toledo United Church Hall starting at 7:15 p.m. Dr. Ross Stevenson, Opposition Agricultural Critic, and Mr. Bob Runciman, M.P.P. for Leedsâ€"Grenville, will be speaking. PHILIPSVILLE OUTREACH NEIGHBOURS The Philipsville Outreach Neighbours held their monthly dinner on Thursday, February 5. The hall was decorated for Valentine's Day; it seems each time the girls outdo the time before for decorating. Before dinner was served, Jean Polk on piano and Charles McVeigh on trumpet played some of the real old songs of the top bands, and the crowd of 74 people was asked to sing along with them. This was one of the best programs we have had and all are hoping to have more like this. Anna Greenhorn said Grace. Veta Bolton was planner for the dinner and Lola Mattice and Marion Stone helped. Mona Dier and Diane Haskins helped serve. After a full course meal from soup to nuts, everyone visited with each other. We are all waiting for the next dinner on March 5 (Thursday). Many thanks go to the girls who decorate, the cooks and to those who help wash the dishes and clean up. Without these people we would have no dinner. Congratulations to all.