By Susan Douglas
Contributor

“There will be mosquitoes and flies”, I cried as Mark sped along the dusty road toward McInnes Chapel. “You’ll be fine” he replied reassuringly. “But I’m a city girl”; I softly whimpered slouching down in the front seat.

News Release
Prov. Government

THUNDER BAY, ON, July 4 /CNW/ - The government is making it easier for northerners to access health care by raising the reimbursement mileage rate and providing support for accommodation costs under the Northern Health Travel Grant Program, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty announced today.

Stats as of June 26, 2007

Team Wins Losses
Sight & Sound 7  1
Rainy River 6 3
Stratton 5 2
Barwick 4 5
Big Grassy 6 4
Sabaskong 1 9
Big Island 2 7

Pitching Records
Wins Losses

News Release
Riverside Health Care

It was a very happy Canada Day for Shirley Brown of Nestor Falls, Ontario, who took home the Grand Prize of a 2007 Dodge Caliber SXT in Riverside Foundation’s 2nd annual Canada Day Lottery. The Avis Family and Westend Motors donated the car.

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.