Columns

The countdown is well under way for this year’s bass tournament. The 2007 tournament actually began before Dave Lindsay and his father began their defense of their 2005 win. The angler entry forms had been photo copied as had the forms for the 2007 tournament draw.

By Jack Elliott
Correspondent

Up front, I want to gratefully acknowledge the love and caring given me by my wife, the Pearl of the Orient. If it wasn’t for the Pearl’s, supervision and suppression of my glutinous appetite, and attendant prodding to insure I get a modicum of exercise, I would probably be long dead. So, if you don’t like my musings, you know whom to blame.

By Melanie Mathieson
Gardening Guru

Because slugs and snails prefer damp and cool weather, you will often find the most damage from slugs and snails on your plants in the north, or northeast and northwest gardens. Gardens with more shade and lower light conditions tend to harbour more slugs due to their moister conditions. Although we have had some stretches of the cooler weather the high humidity and frequent rains have also created favourable conditions for slugs.

By Al Lowe
Contributor

Alfalfa is a hay or pasture crop. It is so common that we take for granted that it is a North American plant. However, it did not originate here at all. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) probably originated in the Middle East. It has been grown for forage longer than any other plant in the world. When Greece was invaded by the Persians, about 400 BC, alfalfa was introduced. The Romans grew it in Italy, and took it to many parts of the then known world. It was the Spaniards who brought it to America.

By Ken Boshcoff
MP T.Bay-RR

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), Canada’s largest farmers’ organization, recently unveiled the results of a cross-country study that shows Canadian consumers would support a labeling program that identifies and promoted Canadian-grown foods in markets and on grocery store shelves.

By Howard Hampton
MPP Kenora-RR

Thunder Bay - NDP Leader Howard Hampton says Dalton McGuinty let down Northern Ontario families today by hitting them with more pre-election double-talk instead of doing something - anything - to help sustain the region’s vanishing jobs.

By Gary Sliworsky
Ag. Rep.

What pasture records are you keeping for the 2007 grazing season? Is your pasture more or less productive than last year? Do you have records to show the results of each of the past years performance for both the pasture and the livestock? These records will enable you to make comparisons that will provide valuable management information. Over time record keeping can give you an informative picture of your grazing management, and provide the tools to make more profitable grazing decisions.

Last weekend was the first real weekend of summer where the sounds of families stretched and echoed across the lake. Saturday night as the sun was setting, a jet arched across the sky carrying the faint orange trail of sun light as it headed southeast. In the background I could hear the drone of countless boats racing home before the sun had set.

By Susan Douglas
Contributor

The last Sunday in June the McInnes Chapel Board met with Mark Douglas taking the Chair. Carol Jenson read the previous minutes from June, followed by Vivian Locking with the Treasurer’s Report.

By Travis Vandenbrand
Summer Rec. Director

T h e R a i n y R i v e r R e c r e a t i o n Bo a r d h a s a f e w t h i n g s p l a n n ed t h i s s u m m e r f o r p e o p l e o f a l l a g e s t o e n j o y a n d h e l p r e n e w t he t o w n’s s p i r i t .