"Mrs. Austin Zoeller, vice president of the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada, speaking last Wednesday night at the 50th anniversary of Bradford Women's Institute said, 'There is no other organization like the W.I. in the whole wide world.' She recalled the W.I. was born on tragedy--the death of a child from drinking impure milk. Mrs. Adelaide Hoodless, the founder of the W.I. was the mother of the child. Mrs. Zoeller told how the secretary of the Farmer's Institute, Erland Lee at Stoney Creek, Ontario, promoted hearing a woman speaker against the wishes of his all-men organization. Mrs. Hoodless, that speaker, made a dynamic speech. Lee told the men after if they believed it important to have an organization to learn how to feed their animals, then it was equally important their wives had an organization to educate themselves on how to feed their families."
"The South Simcoe Plowing Match held Friday, September 20 was a complete success even though only two horse teams were entered, all other categories were based on tractor pulled plows. Anthony Featherstone of Milliken is shown here with his prize winning team of greys. He came second in the plowing competition."
"Agriculture Minister William Newman was on hand last Wednesday with cattle owner John Devins for a special service. The men were celebrating the first time an imported breed of cattle has been sent back to its country of origin. John Devins' Charolais bull, Jericho, has been sold to French cattlemen for $19,000."
"The bounciest petunias and the most colourful marigolds on Simcoe Rd. are in the Van Der Hulst family garden. They grow 150,000 boxes of bedding plants each spring in the greenhouses behind their home so they have an advantage over their neighbours. With the flower season over, the family is growing tomatoes which will be ready when the field crops are depleted around September 15. Joe Van Der Hulst hasn't been too well this year but he hasn't worried about the greenhouses. Two of his children, Bert and Connie clip the tomato leaves and wind the vines around string as they grow taller and taller."
"To save 32 million acres of food-growing land is to interfere with the delicate buyer and seller relationships of the marketplace. Massive state intervention in the marketplace does guarantee absolutely that the productive capacity of Ontario's farmers will be severely restricted by a new host of governmental restrictions and directives. If you examine the food growing capacity of certain totalitarian nations such as the Soviet Union, the state of that country's agriculture is nothing short of national disaster."
"The Toronto Telegram, now defunct, ran this week's photographs in the 1950s, showing the Holland Marsh harvest. Even then the marsh was prized for its productivity and the great opportunities for employment it provided. The photos are included in a collection at the Simcoe County Museum in Midhurst."
"Leo Catania (centre) accepts congratulations from his wife, Wilma, and his former boss, Jack McInally, at his retirement party last week. Mr. McInally holds a plaque with model inspection tools which was one of the gifts Mr. Catania received. He was director of the farm products inspection service of the provincial Ministry of Agriculture."
"Three of top winners at the South Simcoe 4-H banquet in Beeton pose with their awards. Left to right: Marianne Reynolds, high Beeton 4-H member, Carol Rintoul of Tottenham, top novice judge, and outstanding junior member; and John Rutten of Loretto, top swine club member in South Simcoe. At rear is Bill Brethet, a leader of the 4-H Dairy Club."
"About 50 Holland Marsh farmers are suing the Townships of West Gwillimbury and King, claiming damage to crops in August because of flooding. The farmers served notice of their intentions through their lawyers last month, saying the two municipalities neglected to clean the Schomberg River, and that the pumps at a pumping station didn't work during the heavy rain of August 16. The petition signed by the farmers was sent to the councils by their lawyer Norman Borins of Toronto. It states that because of the failure of the pumphouse much of the land near or level with the river was covered with water. King Mayor Margaret Britnell said the township has no obligation to the farmers because the cleaning of the canal and pumping operations are under the jurisdiction of the Holland Marsh Drainage Commission. Council agreed to receive the letter and send it on to the commission. West Gwillimbury council has referred the matter to the township's insurance company, Frank Cowan Company Limited."
"Visitors from as far away as Idaho came to the open house at the Muck Research Station in the Holland Marsh last Friday. A steady stream of farmers, growers, salesmen and students toured the nine-acre site loaded with exhibits and test crops. The research station has served the area since the late 1940's, testing various crops, fertilizers, and chemicals used on muck crops. The station is headed by senior muck crops specialist Matt Valk, with Edo Knibbe as the agricultural technician, and staff members Fred Weening, Dave Walton, Eleanor Wall and Maureen Evans. The annual open house was blessed with warm, sunny weather."
