February 22, 2018: Colleen Brown “Classification”, - First Meeting at A & N, our speaker will be introduced by Charlene Gordon and Montana Wilson will thank our speaker.
Head Table: Our President Linda Bathe, invites, Charlene Gordon, Norm Bird, Roger Black, Carolyn Blackburn, Bill Braun and Lisa Breault, to join her at the head table.
Our guest speakers Fred and Ingrid De Martines speaking about their innovative pork operation. They received a Paul Harris Fellow from the Club.
This Week: Fred and Ingrid De Martines operate a pork farm which they purchased in 1979 upon their arrival in Canada from the Netherlands.
They carefully selected the hog breeds and chose Berkshire, Tamsworth, and Ironage to produce top quality pork. In 1992 they started their first wild boar herd with breeding stock from Germany and Russia.
It 2005/6 pork prices were at an all time low and a disease attacked the herd. Things were not going well for the family or the industry in general. Fred decided that the only was to survive was to directly market his pork to restaurants in Toronto. In 2006 he went to Toronto to talk directly to chefs and began selling product directly to restaurants. This proved to be very successful and they currently have 2 small refrigerated trucks going to Toronto 3 days a week. They make 70 stops delivering to top restaurants, butcher shops and hotels in downtown Toronto. They also sell in Ottawa and Niagara Falls. “Perth Pork Products” is now well recognized as a producing top quality specialized pork products sold fresh, not frozen.
The farm currently has 130 sows and 50 pigs a week are butchered and sold. Fred has developed his own unique combination of feed and allows the pigs and wild boars to graze in pasture land. The wild boars love to eat walnuts and last year 50 tons of black walnuts were consumed by the wild boars, the pigs however, are not strong enough to break them open. Pumpkins are a favourite food of the pigs and last year between 2,400 – 2,500 were consumed.
Fred has successfully crossbred his heritage pig breeds with wild boars. The resulting stock he produces takes 7 months to mature for market, 2 months longer than most pork producers, but the result is a fattier more flavourful product well recognized in his niche market.
Fred and Ingrid advise anyone contemplating the pork business “they must know marketing, it’s all about marketing!”
Fred and Ingrid have raised 5 children on the farm. Fred was president of the Ontario Pork Congress in 2006. They have been generous to a number of charities including Rotary, donating 400 servings of pork for our Rural Urban dinner for many years.
In recognition of their contribution to the community and their charitable contributions both Fred and Ingrid were awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship at today’s meeting.
Fred and Ingrid were introduced by Michael Fox and thanked by Fritz Steigmeier.
Scribe: Gordon Sherwin
Rob Ritz introducing Hub proprietor Kevin Larsen as new Sponsor of Dragon Boat.
Sharing stories about time at Kiwanis Center
Eliz Gaffney as first female Rotarian and resident vocalist
Chris Thomsen and program with Honorable Joe Clarke
Dan Scarborough reminiscing about the late Kevin McCann
Jim Scott telling an amusing story about late Lew Thompson and certain muffled gong.
Guests: Today we welcomed: Dianne YUNDT (AG Area 3), Wayne Yundt and Kevin Larson.
Draw: The prize this week was donated by Norm Bird (GC from Rheo Thompson’s) and won by Karel Hodgert.
Rotary Announcements February 15, 2018
Craig Pearce: Rotary Golf Tournament –The next committee meeting will meet next Wednesday. If anyone would like to join the committee please contact Craig for the details.
Charlene: The Club Photos are ordered and Charlene will let the club know when then will be at a meeting so if you ordered one you can bring your $12. Also, there has been a lot of concern about the bronze plaque “Rotary Meets Here” at the doorway of the Kiwanis Centre. We plan to take it down and hopefully put it up at our new location.
Arlene Pol: There is a new interact club at St Mike’s School with this new semester and new class. The last class found it very valuable to attend our meetings but with our new location it is difficult for them to get there. If there is anyone who lives in the St Mike’s area and could volunteer to pick up 3 students and bring them to the lunch meeting please let Arlene know.
Ken Nesbitt: Catch the Ace is in week 14 and we are now making money for the club. We need volunteers for the last weekend in February and next week we will pass around the sign-up sheet for March.
President’s Corner
A few members shared stories about memorable meetings or moments at the Kiwanis Centre over the past 30+ years. A few were funny, some sentimental but all were enjoyed.
““It's not the place, I think. It's the people. We'd have all been the same anywhere else.”
Make-ups: Angus MacDermid, February 14 at Fort Walton Beach RC.
February’s Attendance Committee: Michael Fox (I/C), Shawn Malvern, Ryan Erb, Bob Malcolmson, Rick Orr, Elizabeth Gaffney, Dan Kane, Wendy Anderson, Debra Swan, John Woollatt.
