The EFA Wants You! by Laura Fraser, OFA Member Service Representative, Oxford and Elgin Counties Laura.fraser@ofa.on.ca Summer is in full swing, and farmers are busy on the land and in their barns. While for many, summer indicates a break, vacation time or a slower pace, we all know it is typically not that way in agriculture.
career fair in St. Thomas that will help students make real-world connections and learn about future career pathways in the agri-food sector. Each event features a variety of agriculture industry representatives who run hands-on stations related to agriculture, food and careers. The EFA is excited to bring this educational event to Elgin County in April 2025.
This is especially true for agriculture groups and committees that rely on volunteer directors to keep things running efficiently and to remain productive over the busy summer months. The Elgin County Federation of Agriculture is a perfect example. The EFA is a member-based county affiliate of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. The general purpose of the EFA is to lobby to improve the economic and social well-being of farmers in Elgin County; provide members with information on agricultural issues and increase public awareness of agriculture and the food system. The EFA is made up of a board of directors that offers a diverse range of expertise and knowledge of the farming industry. The directors commit hours of their time to events and meetings, engaging with municipal council and commodity groups and engaging with members and the community. The EFA has been instrumental in events that help the community, such as the waste oil recycling days, farm safety outreach, and bursaries for post-secondary education opportunities, to name a few. They are currently working with Agscape to hold an agricultural Everything is Just Peachy at
Did you know that if you hold a valid OFA membership and reside in Elgin County, you are considered a general member of the EFA? This means that you have the right to vote at all general meetings and can be eligible to be elected to attend OFA’s Annual General Meeting each November. Elections for this year take place at EFA’s Regional meeting, on August 22, 2024, at the Gay Lea Dairy Museum from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. All OFA members are welcome to attend. For more information about the EFA, please go to their website at elginfarmers.ca. To register for the Regional Meeting or for any other inquiries, please contact Danielle at elginfarmers@gmail.com.
August 3 – 4 and August 10 – 11 DON’T FORGET TO TRY OUR CIDER Ready Picked or Pick your Own • Peach Baked Goods Ready Picked Peaches all Season Open Daily 10-5
GREAT LAKES FARMS 5111 Union Road, Port Stanley
519-782-3433 greatlakesfarms.ca
REAL LIVING Rural Elgin
Geoffrey Rae Managing Editor / Sales Geoff@villagerpublications.com 519-495-7177
All articles written by Geoff Rae unless otherwise indicated. Copy Editor – Peter Bloch-Hansen Publisher: Barb Botten barb@villagerpublications.com Graphic Artist – Cathy Wood Photos, community events and article suggestions welcome. Copyright @ 2015 Villager Publications. All rights reserved. This magazine or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the Publisher.Information presented has been compiled from sources believed to be accurate at the time of printing however the Publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions.
Page 12 Real Living • Summer 2024
To advertise here, please contact Geoff@villagerpublications.com
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs