Members of the British Columbia Farm Women’s Network were kept busy listening to speakers from 8 a.m. until after 10 p.m. at their Oct. 13 seminar in 100 Mile House, B.C.
Helen Horn said the meeting was originally scheduled for Oct. 12-14, but a lack of people forced organizers to squeeze the meeting into one day.
Another meeting has been scheduled Nov. 10 in the 100 Mile area. Members should check the network’s website at www.bcfwn.100mile.com for more information.
Horn said the B.C. network’s main interest is raising awareness of farm and food issues. Members are still carrying on the gold ribbon campaign at local fairs by handing out ribbons attached to an explanatory leaflet. The ribbon campaign was adopted by the Canadian Farm Women’s Network at its 1999 conference in Saskatoon to help create public empathy for the plight of farmers.
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Horn said producers need more encouragement from Canadians. Higher prices are one way they can get that.
“It discourages me to go into the local store and see bananas are 49 cents a pound and people are buying bananas and oranges. People should buy peaches, pears and raspberries when B.C. produce is available.”
One speaker warned about the dangers in drinking water.
Horn said she learned “everyone should have their water tested, even if it comes from a deep well.”
She said some farmers don’t know where their water comes from or what people or industries are putting into it upstream.
The farm women also heard from a pharmacist.
“He looked over the crowd,” Horn said with a laugh, and spoke about osteoporosis, a condition of weakened bones that occurs in older women.
