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12::- Orono Weekly Times,, Wednesday, September 229 1993 ihi Biramah's 0Onitarlo Harold Boker blew his top when hie counted it ail up and found hie had blown a bundie on chemical fertilizers. He'd been farming in a conventional way for over 30 years. He was fed up with the cosns. He bit the bullet. Quit cold turkey and went into organîc farming. Today hee bas the largest organic farm in Simcoe County. On his 300-acre spread a few miles north of Elmvale, the only fertilizer used is composted manure from his livestock. And what livestock! He has a herd of Beefalo. They're a cross between full- blooded buffalo and domestic cattie,, and are quite at home roaming around Harold's rotated pastures. They're of various shades and colors and have 80% less fat than the usual beef breeds. They feed on plants that domestic breeds leave untouched, and thrive on hay and other roughage. Then there are the Red Wattle hogs. They don't looklike ordinary hogs. They're reddish brown, lean and lively. They live outside al year long in wooden hutches. The sows even have their pigs in the small hutches, so the piglets are outside right from birth. Wattle hogs live on grain screens and grain not used for human consumption, and consequently don't compete in the human food chain. But the mainstay of the farm is the grain. Notably a grain called, dinkel or sp elt. It's a natural grain, not a hybrid. In the Old Testament, dinkel was praised as the pnimary bread grain and has been grown since 2500 B.C. itie Rhineland. It's a natural grain and very nutritious. The kernel is enclosed in a strong hard bull andspecial milling is required. >To overcome the problem, Harold and his son, Bill, buiît a state-of-tbe-art mili in one of the barns. It's four floors of top-fligbt equipment. They dehuil, dlean and bag the grain and send it to select dealers and restaurants. Harold's wife Anne has a small bakery behind the farmhouse, and bakes delicious wholesome bread from dinkel. Harold is well known-by city chefs for his work in the organic field. But perhaps more important, he's always available to share his extensive knowledge witb other farmers, and has become known as Simcoe County's Father of Organic Farmning. Willie the bull Ieaned his head over the top rail of the fence and gave me a nudge on the shoulder. 1 was trying to take notes at the time and didn't pay much attention to him. Ordinarily, I'd make a very fast exit if a strange bull weighing close to a ton was starting to push me around. But 'd met Willie earlier in the day and fed him a couple of carrots. -1 figured that made us good buddies. Actually, Willie, Zilo, Kilo and Bera have a lot of buddies. The four are shaggy Highland cattle and a great attraction at Elbrook Farmn on the outskirts of the village of Edgar, south of Orillia. The farm is owned by Peter and Marilyn Marchildon. They have big Belgian horses and other livestock and school childrcn go there to get a taste of farm life. They go for a sleigh or hay ride in the woods, skate on one of the brooks in the winter, and toast marshmallows and whatnot over an open fire. lt's a change of pace for city kids and a learning experience for them. But the Highland cattie are thc big attraction for the youngstcrs and other visitors as well. With their long, shaggy, light-brown coats and huge horns, thcy remind you a bit of prchistoric mammoths. They look tough, and they can get nasty if wolves or coyotes corne sneaking around. But they're as gentle and friendly with visitors as the farm's big jovial dog. Marilyn carnecs a bag of carrots s0 people can give thcm a snack. All you have to do is hold out a carrot and whistle, andI they'll corne trotting over. Thcy reach out and cagerly gobble up the goodies. Thcyre an ancient brced that originated in the Highlands and west coastal islands of Scotland. 1 found ii'nteresting that Highland cattle raised in Canada are gaining quite a reputation for quality. And Marilyn said that even Scottish breeders are now buying Canadian cattle to improve their own herds. How do children Iearn a love of reading? REALITIES 1. Children should be taken to the library just as they are taken te, the grocexy store with their parents to stock up on the week's supplies. Later. they can take part in story hours. explore the books that match their years and finalîy, gel their own prized library cards. 2. Children sîart learning from the moment they are born, and the first tive, or six years set the stage f'or aIl that is to corne. Appreciation of* books and first sleps,, in reading start with the precions one-on-one time with Mum or Dad and a book, begins the pattern of a lifetime, and helps them start sehool with a positive attitude. 3.* Chiîdren love fun and siîliness, and selected comics (appropriate to their age and interests) will keep thcm rcading., They'Il move on to other things when they're ready. 4. If watching TV and pîaying com- puter games is lcaving no time for reading, then yes, there should be some restrictions. But TV opens up new worlds. new thoughts and ideas tor people of ail ages. These new worlds can be expîored and developed further through books which stay around, to be perused for as-long as the interest hoîds. Use TV as bait, flot a barrier. As for computers, they are now. and wi Il increasingîy be presenting us with new ways of learning through interactive video and "virtual reality-, computer- based learning that uses the senses. Children must be adept at computer use. Butbooks are our current imeans 10 the world's storehouse of knowledge. so lime with themn is invaluable., 5. Parents can start reading to their babies who wiIl grow first to enjoy the sounds which go aîong with the comlforting cuddîe. then wilI under- stand woids, and finalîy. the pictures and stories. 6. Children in, French immersion learn about their own culture and heritage fromn stories read and toîd tb them in English (and other languages) at home. Children readilv transfer Bowmanville, Museum receives operating grant The Minîstry of 'Culture, Tourism and Recreation bas approved a 1993 operating grant to the Bowmanville Museum in the amount of $ 13,496. The Museum Operating Grant Program is a program administered by the Museums and Heritage Organizations Unit of the Cultural Prograrns Branch. The program provides annual operating support to approximately 200 local museums across the province. "I'm very glad to see that the Bowmanville museum wasone of the 200 Museums chosen to receive this grant," Mr. Milîs said. 'Museums provide the community with its beritage." The operating grant program for museums bas been in the Ministry for over 25 years. "I'm sure that the Ministry will continue to provide Museums with operating grants for many years to come," Mr. Milîs said. After ahl, museums play a significant role i the community history." Ee-,ctions .C.anada office for Durham now open Mr. Allan E. McConney, Returning Officer for the electoral district of Durham is pleased to announce that the Elections Canada office for the riding is now open in Manchester, Ontario at the junction of Highway 7A and Rose Street. The Returning Officer is also responsible for setting up al the polling stations in the riding for the fedleral election called for October 25, 1993. The Elections Canada office will be open Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Sa turdays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information, contact the office at 416-985-4400 (cal collect if long distance or by FAX at 985-4407)., reading skills between languages and French immersion teachers urge English-speaking parents to read to their children in English. 7. It's the old "do as 1 do" dictumn. Children who see their parents reading will more readily accept that as a way of life than those who see their parents fixed continually in front of the TV screen. 8. Hurrah for the physical play, but what an opportunity for somne mental adventure, the chance to discover new_ places, new characters, new stories. 9. Couîd there possibly be a better reward for achievemnent than a new book of the student's own choosing,? The thrill of being taken to the bookstore and told 'Now, you choose your present!- Canadian Parents for French (CPI-) is a national network of primiarily English-speaking parents with a deep interest in excel1lence in education and in the literacy or their eilidren. CPF believes that a good Canadian education includes opportunities for students to acquire communication skiîîs in both English and French. For more infonmation, caîl Jane at (613) 235-1481. '5 HE EST c>FTiMES Easing Out 0f Physical Activity - The Cool D own Cooling.down after any kind of exercise is important. No matter which kind of physical activity you choose, you'll enjoy il more and reap more health benefits if youfol- low the warm-up'and cool- down guidelines. The lime before and after ex- ercise or physical activity are important for preventing unnec- essary pain and injury. Cooling dov.'a lowers your heart rate after it has been raised by the activi ty, and prevents blood from pooling i your legs. Gentle stretching as part of a cool down helps improve flexibiity in the muscles and joints and can prevent muscle soreness. Gentie, or "statie" stretching is the best way to stretch a muscle. To perform a static stretch, reach to your maximum pain-free stretch (do flot bounce) then hold it at that point for 10 to 20 seconds. Static stretching can elongate your muscles and the surround- ing tendons, improving muscle and joint mobility. Take at least five minutes to ease out of physical activ- ity by walking or slowly stretching each of your major muscle groups. Don't force yourself to move further than is comfortable for you. Use safe, slow, gentle movements-and ai- ways include a cool down in your physical activity. This column is provided by the Investors Group Inc. in col- laboration with the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute. THE CATERING CONNECTION SOCIAL CATERERS Our Speciality FamilY Style Roast Beet -Dinner Weddings Anniversaries - Business Functions Hockey Basebali Bowling Banquets HOT- COLD - BUFFETS FRED, PATRICIA, RODNEY STORSBERGEN B ox 416, Orono, Ont. LOB IMO 983-9679 MORRI S FUNERAL CHAPEL LTD. 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