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Wednesdsay September 22, 1999 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER A3 Land owners putting squeeze on suburban farmers Norm Biggar didn't have any problems getting five year leases on the land he farms but now it's difficult to get even a one year deal By K athy Yanchus SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER No doubt many longtime residents are frustrated, perhaps outraged at Oakville's endless expansion. Seemingly overnight, woodlots become neigh­ borhoods. Roads are built, expanded, widened, strip plazas pop up everywhere as do traffic lights and stop signs. With each passing year, it requires more patience to drive through town because of the sheer volume of cars. Having said that, Oakville's city-esque nature might be disillusioning and disruptive, but for the most part, the burgeoning growth isn't squeezing us out. More and more people are flocking to the suburbs. Wide open space and lush green farm­ land are quickly becoming a wistful part of Oakville's past. Consider Norm and Sandy Biggar the next time you whiz up four-lane Trafalgar Road just past its intersection with Dundas. For six generations, the Biggar family has farmed in this area in relative obscurity, their grain crops and previously, herds of livestock, providing for us. Now, however, their future is more uncertain than ever and their urban neigh­ bors, eager to buy a piece of the suburbs, are oblivious to their plight. The Biggars operate a cash crop farm which is starting to suffocate under the encroachment of development. The 1,500 acres they farm in north Oakville and south Milton, are slowly being engulfed by houses and asphalt. It's a fact they are quite aware of, but not losing sleep over, a senti­ ment they expressed during the 1999 Halton Farm Tour. The annual tour is sponsored by the Halton Agricultural Advisory Committee and designed as a means of focusing on the issues facing farmers. "Farming gets in your blood. It's challenging," said Biggar, who has been in partnership with his father since 1975 on the farm which produces, soybeans, grain com, wheat, oats barley and red clover seed. It's a way of life not unaffected by technology, which has made farming more efficient, although not more predictable, explained Biggar. "No two days are exactly the same even though the seasons repeat. Between Mother Nature and weather patterns, no two days are the same." Norm's wife Sandy was not raised on a farm, but married into it, and "when the men are on the land for 18 hours a day," everything else falls in her hands. "You become very independent," she said. The past five years have seen a period of unprecedented change for the Biggars. "One of the real challenges is road rage," said Norm, who is constantly being given the one fin­ ger salute as he drives his combine at a snail's pace along the formerly placid, now congested, back roads. 'They think my sole purpose in life is to hold them up." When harvesting and planting, "I can't just park it and wait. Everything is dictated by the weather." The Biggars find it increasingly difficult to secure a long term lease on their land. Whereas it used to be no problem successfully landing a five- year term, it's now tough even to snag a one-year lease. This makes it more difficult to plan crop rotation, he explained to the audience of decision­ makers from all levels of government plus mem­ bers of school boars, conservation authorities and Halton's Land Division Committee and Advisory Committee. 'There's a reluctance on the part of landowners to give out long term leases. When they want to pull the trigger, they don't want to be held up by some farmer and their land. It's not something we lose sleep over, but we're certainly aware, we real­ ize we probably don't have much more than 10 years farming left here. We're not going to stay here and let the town surround us. It is farming and there's a way of life to it." Whether one of his three daughters decide to pursue agriculture will influence their ultimate decision as to whether they re-locate or retire early, he said. Farming is not only a difficult life, but one which "wreaks havoc with your cash flow." "Definitely within the next 15 to 20 years everything will be developed south of 403/407" and more than likely up to the 401, predicted Biggar. Hopefully, he added, some farmland north of Hwy 401 will be maintained for the future. At one point, the Biggars felt the expansion of surrounding highway would help alleviate con­ gestion of traffic around their farm, but with the addition of looming light posts came a new obsta­ cle. The light adversely affected some acreage of soybeans which are day-length sensitive and don't realize seasons are shortening and it's time to ripen, said Biggar. On the plus side, said Biggar, his hat goes off to Halton because of the orderly fashion in which it has developed. The reason for the annual tour is to give poli­ cy-makers a better understanding of the farmers' point of view, explained HAAC research assistant, Kath^ Kielt. The hope is that in their decision-making, they will realize the impact their decisions, particular­ ly in the area of development, will have on the agricultural community and industry. Sandy and Norm Biggar: farming is always a challenge Photo by Peter C. M cCusker THERE ARE MORE THAN 2 ,8 0 0 PARKING SPOTS AVAILABLE IN DOWNTOWN OAKVILLE THERE'S A SPACE F O R Y O U ! FREE PARKING is available in all Municipal Lots and at street meters daily after 6:00 p.m ., Sundays and holidays. TOWN OF OAKVILLE PARKING OPERATIONS 338-4394 DOWNTOWN OAKVILLE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA 844-4520 METERS The electronic meters located on downtown streets accept two dollar coins as well as quarters and loonies. Parking on Lakeshore Rd. is limited to two hours at $1.00 per hour. HANDICAPPED PARKING There are a total of 18 signed spaces available in lots 1 ,2 , 3 ,1 0 ,11a, 15, in the Municipal Parking Garage and at specified street meters. IL0NG-TERM PARKING Day long parking is available in lots 5, 7, 8 & 11B. In addition there are long-term meters along Water, Robinson and Douglas Streets. Take A message fro m the H alton C ouncil on S m oking and Health. F o r more in fo rm ation , please call the Halton Regional Health Department at (905) 693-4242 e x t 7525. T T Y (905) 827-9833. Super-fast computer. Super-tempting offer. With its Pentium-crushing G3 processor (up to 450MHz) and integrated 128-bit 3D graphics accelerator, the Power M ar G3 is the professional's dream computer. To all of that, we now add the following temptation: Just buy one by September 25th and you get a mail-in coupon for a free 128MB memory upgrade or a free Hewlett Packard DeskJet 810C colour printer. Plus a $150 rebate if you add a 17-inch Apple Studio Display to your system. 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