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l ‘ By DAVE PINK Examtller Stall Writer 50 you say you'd like to sell your house in the suburbs and buya farm ln the country. You're not alone. . More and more city dwellers are moving to the country and beginning small, purtvtime farm operations. The larm becomes a second prolossion, or hobby, whlle they continue jobs in city businesses or in- dustries. Statistics kept by the provin- elal ministry ol agriculture and food show that about 65 per cent or Pelerbaruugh County's L337 farmers are part-tuners. However, there ls nu breakdown between city transplonts and {ullrtimc farmers forced to take other jobs to make ends meet “They're both substantlal pars oi the total though." says ministry spokesmnn Jnhn Cockbul-n. "They’re running prettycloselohalfandhalf.“ Glen McMullen moved his (amlly to a no acre larm just north nlWalsr-lwfouryeilrsagn â€" and doesn’t expect he'll ever move back to the city. “I was born and raised in Toronto." he recalls. “but my grandparents were larm peo- ple, I used to spend my sum- mers with them so l guess that's where farming got into my blood “NOW I dabble in just about everything reliitod to [arm- mg." Mr MucMullen wurks the [arm with help from in; Wife Gwen and tour school aged chlldren. A lull-time science teacher at Kenner Collegiate in Peterbumugh, he has lllled in his time restoring the Ina-year» old liinnhoiiso and building up the [arm He has accumulated ‘2 sheep 20 Charolals heel cattle and grows hay and vegetables but his pride and joy lS 22 L'Olr ontesothees. “i just viln't imagine a farm Without bees now," says Mr. McMullCn “Even if I ilin to move back into the city I would still try to keep some bees " The McMullens took about 3,000 pounds 0! honey lrorn uielr colonies this year. way up lrom only Loon pounds the prcvmils year “And there's gn mg to he more next year.‘ says Mr. Mulll‘lullt'n. The honey is sold from Ihelr larmhcuse at across thr- counter at the PelerhnrnuEh Farmers’ mornings. Commercially processed sugar is not used in the McMquen home in favor at their own honey. “My witr does a lot at Daklng so we might go through 200 pounds at honey 3 year in our own house." he pointsout. The larm is a lamily prnject and Mr McMullen says his three sons and a daughter, aged six to 1:. help out with the hay ing apple and vegetable picking and the honey selling not to mention the maple syrup mak- ing every spring The youngsters also busy themselves with ulher chores Market Saturday around the house. like unloading lirewood (or the Winter months. “I figured out a load or llrewDCld is equivalent tl) hall a tank of fuel oil in total BTUS” says Mr McMullen. “so l plan to cheat the oil companies a [It- tie this tor I'm really look- lng torward to burning that wand "l have two woodlots on this larm so why let them go to waste.” The McMullen sheep are sheared every May 24 weekend. Then Mrs. McMullen. a Glen McMu/Ién andCh/‘ldren April, 6, Sandy. .9, a Vâ€"w no Sean, 10. member or the Peterbul‘ough Spinning and weal/mg Guild. takes charge ol [ht- sheep fleece. The {look more than doubled this spring with the birth I)! 22 lambs. but some Will he sold to private customers in November, Mrl MCMquen ls hoping the price improves {or the bee! cat» tle grazing in his tlelds hesidc Lhesheep. "My heart really bleeds tDr {srmers trying tn make an honest living on beef alone," he says. “Beer is not very good at tllP moment out I’m hoplng there will be some money in it hynext spring you‘re doing," he says. "And you‘ve got Io be a llttle realistic whlJn you go hut-k to the land, but I feel l've gotlwo feet on the ground " r... .V. we- You can't make a living on beef." he says "Customers are paying as much as they did 10 years :lgu but the case to the larmer has rlsen three times [hat amount "I’m trying to run this [arm as omelently as possible hutl flnd l have to establish a set of prlnrilies and keep them well In View." he says. “My priorities are lny tumily. my job and then the [arm out the llezluty ol the [arm is that it does Involve the family. They can go out and help and have a greal time." Mr. McMullen says his farm has been successful because ht takes an interest In it "You've lot to be interested in what