The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

“Agriculture Award of- Merit” A life shaped by the family farm Nov 25 1987 Beth Slumsltle. of RR 2, Dohblnton. is the 1981 recipient of the Bruce County Federation ot Agriculture’s 'Award at Merli,’ presented at the Federation's annual banquet at the Chesley When Beth Slumslile received the Bruce County Federar iton at Agriculture's 'Award at Merlt‘ Nov. 13. she said she couldn't Believe it. Siumskle, the wire or a R. Ft. 2, Doobinton beer larmer, and one at the two rounding members or ‘Gcncerneo Farm Women'. received the award at the Federation's 46th an- nual meeting and banquet at the Chesley Community Cert» ire. ‘ The award, which used to be called the ‘Farmar ol the Year award. ts presented every year by the Federation's ex- ecutive to a person they feel has contributed slgnlllcantly to the community or agriculture. "I was shocked." the president at 'Gonoerned Farm .Women' from 19844966 said alter she won the award. "Because of the economic situation I've gone back to work and haven't been able to devote time to farm economic Issues. I've had to back oil and let others carry the torch.“ she said. Giselle Ireland of Ft. Fl. 2 Teeewater, who along with her husband Brian donated the award to the Federation back in 1979. presented the award to stumskle at the banquet. Ireland too is an early rounding member or ‘Concerned Farm Women't “Beth has always been very very aware or the contribu- ‘tlon the lamlly makes to the tanning community." Ireland said In a telephone interview Nov. 20‘ "(As a member oi CFWt she was very lnstrumntal In getting rural day care started." she said. 7 Ireland also spoke about Slumskle‘a personal qualities. Iqualities that trelendrriotlced as the two women worked x. munlty ot agriculture. together lrom the rounding crl CFW in 1981 to the present. "It was her extreme caring Ioi other people." Ireland said. mentioning one at the traits that she tell made Slurrtv skle more than deserving oi the award. "It she dldu't have time she would make time for people that needed help, When things got you really dew" (It was always Beth that helped bring you right back up agalnt," she said. It has been amazing that Slumskle has Dean ablelo have thls ellecl on others. She has sullered more than her share of personal mlstortunes while being a term mother and wife. In 1975. one of Slumekle's two sons was killed when the tractor he was driving overturned. pinning hlm underneath it. He was only 12 years old. Ten years later. and tour years alter halplng round CFW. the bank called In the loans on the Stumskle larm. By 1586. the Slumskle larm was gone. "In 1981 I really dlt‘ln't belleve we were going to lose the larm." Slumskle said. " I kept hu|7|rlg we could save It. I didn't know then that that was a myth," she said. “Losing a larm is Hell on Earth. that Is." Slumskle said. it was In June. 1981 that Stumskle and Doris Swelger. also at Dobolnton. began to realize that tarmers and larm lamllies were plunging into a linanclai crisis. 5‘ "People were paying more In Interest (on loans) than they were getting in wages, 24 hours a day." Slumskle said. "Something (had) to happen.“ in September. 1961. Swelger and slumskie called up about 10 people they knew to come to a meeting to discuss larm problems at Swelger’s home. Fllty~orie people showed Community Centre November 13. The year to a person who has contributed slgnlilcantly to the com- .4; so q . award is presented each up. At a publlc meeting the two womer helped organize m Chesley, to voice concerns over the worsening ltrtal’lCtal situation rcr larmers in Grey and Bruce Counties 250 peo- ple attended in October. 1951. Slumskie and Swergei organized a demonstration In tront oi the then lederat agriculture mtnisler. Eugene Whetan. as he was giving a speech to the Port Elgin Chamber of Commerce The demonstration in» volved larm men. women and chlldren The demonstration was one or the that lobbying actions oi the iledgllng 'Concernad Farm Women' movement it was also important because It mutated a new song "Old MacDonald had alarm. but the banker has it now ' Whelan told the demonstrators that he would help them or he would resign truth the government. Slumskle said the early locus 01 CFW was to try and make the government aware or the plight oi the iamiiy tarm and thus gain government help. Early CFW activities that Slumskle engaged in included standing at the International Ploughing Match, trying to en courage farmers and larm wives to write tetters to their MP's and MPF's. and also to encourage three to live oi thEir irrends and neighbours to do the same thing "We were sure that was the solution." Slumskie Said. “I believe that It the government had intervened at that time we could have stopped larm bankruptcy. and prevented larm families lrom breaking up. But the government didn‘t have the political will to do It." she said.