49 Like Us on Facebook: BetterFarmingON Better Farming | October 2024 FROM THE GROUND UP. Salford’s BBI Sniper cuts compaction by spreading up to 120 feet. Simple 12 section control places fertilizer where you need it and reduces input costs. – Salford. Precision from the ground up. FIELD YOUR BEST Salford, Ontario Elie, Manitoba Scan to see more Salford Equipment DELTA POWER EQUIPMENT Alvinston, 519-898-2961 Chatham, 519-351-4300 Dunvegan, 613-527-1501 Renfrew, 613-432-4133 Winchester CIH, 613-774-2273 deltapower.ca EQUIPMENT ONTARIO Lindsay, 705-324-6136 Port Perry, 905-982-1500 equipmentontario.com J & H SALES & SERVICE Chesley, 519-363-3510 jhsales.com PREMIER EQUIPMENT LTD. Alliston, 705-435-7551 Ayr, 519-632-8998 Elmira, 519-669-5453 Listowel, 519-291-5390 Norwich, 519 688-1011 Ospringe, 519-833-9332 Smithville, 905-957-2133 Tavistock, 519-655-2200 Bros. Diesel Service. Whenever we were called, we went and worked on diesel engines, drive line components, tractors, bulldozers, a couple of gravel crushers – you name it, we did it. There still weren’t any good farm equipment engineering jobs in Canada, so, through a personal contact I got a teaching position instead at what is now known as the Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology. I enjoyed teaching but did not get the opportunity to design farm machinery, which had been my initial career desire. Circumstances sometimes can change career paths The director at Ridgetown College changed, so after one year I moved on to a position with Ontario Hydro in Toronto. I travelled across Canada, applying electrical energy to many applications on farms. Technology was evolving, and many farmers wanted to join the expanding electrical system. And then another major career opportunity presented itself. My inlaws wanted to move out of the old two-storey farmhouse that had been in the Thomson family for almost 100 years. My wife and I also had a daughter – their only grandchild at the time. We jumped at the chance to return to our rural routes and moved back to my wife’s Thomson home farm in Elgin County, which has now been in the family for over 125 years. I soon had another part-time teaching position, at Fanshawe College in Woodstock, while work-sharing at home with the dairy farming neighbour. That neighbour was Don – the same Don who gave me the Country Gentleman publication. Summary In retrospect, it is evident that most career paths cannot be projected into the future. I never did design or build farm How it Works machinery, but I did enjoy owning and servicing all types and models of farm machinery during the many years that I actively farmed. That interest led me to eventually be a contributing writer with Better Farming magazine. This is the 194th issue of my “How It Works” column. Better Farming is a much higher quality and more specialized publication than its older American cousin, but trust me – I thoroughly enjoyed reminiscing about 1950s farm life and seeing ads about the old vintage vehicles like the 1955 Pontiac car and station wagon. I drove a 1955 Pontiac car during my student and courting years! BF RALPH WINFIELD Ralph is a retired professional engineer, farmer and technical writer. He has a BSA, BASc, and an MSA in engineering from the University of Toronto.
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