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Pg 200 enter Farmstead Improvement Competitign Scugog Reflecting on the outcome of the International Plowing Match Farmstead Improve- ment Competition, you might just come to the con- clusion that Scugog farms are among the most attract- ive--and Scugog farmers the _ "most industrious. k ( How else would you ex?. plain three out of three pos- sible winners in the Durham Region-wide competition are from Scugog Township? Almost. 200 farms were entered iy the competition and according to competi- tors, it was no easy contest. Brothers Win Even more unusual is the fact that two of the three winners-are brothers. Neil and Don Hunter from the township won in two of - the classes, while Clifford Redman, a Scugog Island farmer, won in the third category. Almost 200 farms were "entered in the competition and according t peti- tors, it wasn't as y as simply picking up the Sterl- ing Tea Service at an Ux- bridge awards night earlier this week. «'A good amount of work went into it," said Mrs. Don Hunter of R.R.2, Seagrave. . While the Hunter ranch style brick farmhouse is very attractive, it is perhaps the landscaping that gives the overall eye appeal. Lo- cated ond huge lot surround- ed by the family's 82 acre farm, the house and nearby neatly painted barn are set well back from the road, framed by a blanket of well kept grass. Pre-1900's antique show to be held at Town Hall Glass, china, furniture and more will be featured in an antique show planned for Oct. 16, and 17 as one of the first functions held at the newly renovated Old Town Hall on Queen Street: About 16 dealers will show antique furniture from the pre-1900's period, and glass and china dating to before 1925. . A veted show mean a ) veting committee will make a pre-show inspection, insur- ing that items are genuine and actually ' of the time period advertised. Mrs. Helen Calder, a local collector, is staging the show, and will be exhibiting her own collection of dolls and - related items. The show will take over both floors of the renovated building and although Mrs. Calder has'no idea about just how many items will be on display, the show should be a success, judging from the exhibitors who will be taking part. She had originally thought that the space available would allow about 20 exhibit- ors, but adjusted that num- ber to 16. Better to have fewer than have more packed together," she said. Exhibitors will be coming from as far off as Smith Falls, Brockville; and other centres. Mrs. Calder said that co- operation from the Town Hall committee has been excel- lent, and thinks the show will be a success. "This kind of a show usually draws a good following," she said. "I don't think it will be any different here." farmers win It is the general outside appearance that is taken into consideration in the contest, and while the Hunters may have had the émpetition in the backs of their. mind, much of the work would have been carridd out regardless. . An avid gardner, the beautiful landscaping of the lot, : In the two years since they designed the house and had it built, it's been a busy time working on the many things that aren't done by the build- er. It was most of the day in the garden for Mrs. Hunter. "It isn't that you spend a lot of money on this," said Mrs. Hunter. 'It's mostly the time and work." Have To Enjoy It But "work" is only a word, and Mrs. Hunter doesn't look back on the many hours spent outside as drudgery. "You have to like it," she said. Farming all their lives, the couple are now doing "what we want to do," according to Mrs. Hunter. They still raise horses, but it's hardly a viable farm operation. The house was built only a year ago, after the Hunters sold part of a 156 acre farm and kept the 82 acres. "We didn't want to slow down, but we decided to do what we want to do." "We are enjoy- ing what we are doing now," she said, 'and that's as it should be. As well as running the farm, husband Don also does carpentry work. The Hunters started farm- ing in Scarborough--at a tirpe when that community was ~still rural. With the city spreading out, however, the family moved to Unionville. It took another 23 years for the city to catch up with ~ them in Unionville, so they sold the farm and moved to the township. They figure this was their last move. Brother Neil Hunter of Greenbank, winner of the rural home division, may not have the most impressive park-like land in area, but the one acre retirement lot is prepared in a very attractive way. Seems "I suppose it was easier for us." Mr. Hunter will modestly explain. "They looked at the property first at a time when no landscap- ing had been done at all." Yet perhaps not the quan- tity of work, but the quality of work is what caught the ir Mrs. Hunter had a lot to do with - * W all three classes Neil and Jean Hunter's place. PORT @ PERRY J DLV IN PORT PERRY, ONTARIO, Wednesday, September 24, 1975 -- 17 judge's eyes. The property reflects almost a comfor- table cottage atmosphere despite the fact that the house is a new one. The Neil Hunters have lived in the community since 1954, moving from a farm in Richmond Hill where they farmed for three years. Born on a farm in Scarborough, he's never gotten the rural life out of his bones. 3 / Even in the brief five years he served as a Toronto policeman, he never quite gave up the idea of farming and when he quit the force, it . was with no regrets. At least not emotionally. Financially, it was a diff- erent situation. His job as a policeman--and prior to that period in the service--de- manded a price ....security. Farming More Secure Depending, perhaps too much, on this security, it wasn't exactly easy to adjust back¥ to the insecurities of civilian life. And at those times, points out Neil, farm- ing was kind of a risky business. "Farming is more secure now," said wife Jean. "Young people on the farms now can take a vacation and generally take it a bit easier and that's the way it should be." But it wasn't always that way. The Hunters can re- member tougher times. . Of the Hunters' four child- ren; one son is a Durham Region policeman, one daughter teaches school, and the other two boys work the farm he's passed on to them. Often, though, you'll find Neil next door with his boys ....knee-deep in work. To win a competition such as this, not only takes money and effort, but also pride in oneself and the business. Consider that latter, and you might conclude the Redmans of Scugog Island are a natur- al choice. Redman pride doesn't just go back to pv start of the contest--or ever to the Cliff Redman busi- ness. It goes back over 100 years, the length of time the Island farm has been in the family. Of all the Scugog winners, it was probably Cliff Red- man that put the most into , : Tha the effort with the competi- tion in mind. "A family effort," he de- scribes it, on a job that should have been carried out over a five or six year program. The family has been-busy since the 1974 judge's visit preparing the homestead for the competition. The work was all necessary, Cliff says, but not all at once. 'I sup- pose the competition gave us the initiative to get it all - done," he said. Farming, for the Redmans is obviously more than a business. 'You need money, of course,' says Cliff, "but it isn't everything. And of course you get the people who think that because farm- ing is a way of life and therefore you shouldn't make a good living at'it," he adds, smiling. Getting Better But Mr. Redman sees change. Things seem to be getting better for the farmer, resulting in a movement back to the farm by some young people. Even though; he said his 122 acre farm won't provide a living for his two boys, should they decide to take over the farm. "They will have to rent more acre- age to make a living at it." he said. The Redmans rent 120 acres now. A medium size farmer, he calls himself. "The larger farms are around 500 acres. [L used to be that the average size farm was between 100 to 150 acres, but that's all changed with automation." The Redmans have a 100 head Holstein herd, about 50 percent of them registered. In the last year, Mr Redman has made some major improvements at the farm. The barn and a num- ber of sheds appear almost ° new. Steel siding on all the buildings have done the trick. A lot of painting, plant- ing. landscaping and more makes the farm one of the most altractive, yet rustic farms around.