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By Carol Stewart-Kirkby \larin Van Bomrncl â€"â€" l'armer, wilt. lTltiIIlL‘F. agricultural advocate and activist M says she has come home. Micr tarming mih hcr husband. Rune. in the Helmrini area (Just south III I nndnn), Maria and her tamily are iiim sclllcd In I’nrkhlll. also In Middle- sL'h. when.“ she was hnrn and raised. "li's lllLL' urming hack in a place yiill irimv null. ,‘stiinu (it the children nri: ilILIL‘l rim-r. hill I still know whO belongs In who," Mziriii u‘tplalntd. Maria and Rene ItlLL'LI l'inaneial tIiIIiLiillics on their IZIH'OW l0 Iinish IipL‘rnIllill in liclrnnni. Ntiv. they are rchuihhnu. Mririii expects It) he lurrning Iiill IIHIC this spring WlllIL' che mpg-mics his siihttinlriietinn business lll Itmtliili. “Wt- ill'L' hemp niiieh mtllc unitisz this Ilmt.‘ ilrhlllltl. t-sputinlly when II taint-s Ill LlL'hI. Wt: thiii'l wzinl to carry .1 lui UI (It‘lll. We IlLIVL‘ hucn making [L'PIIIIH In the harm in Prcpilrilllllll I'm IIIL‘N]1I'IIII.’. Iiiil wc'whccn paying Ior Iluisc icpriirs :is “C piii' Maria said. :\I.‘iil;i is HUI iIIIIIILI In spciik nut :ilmiii Iln- hiss ul IIIC Iicliiiiint Iiirni. |I| liit'i slic sin-s, int' has .i lciitlencv to spark mil iiii IllI\ itl I\\IICN wIlIL‘Il slit Iiiiils Iiiipnrliint. ll \\;l\I1L’ltIL‘\Il’L’I(‘-I It‘ll!” lllIil't‘ .ihniil ticiitulliiréil INNIIL'M um] Iitti‘e IIL'I sm‘, which h'tI IIL'I into an lll\iiI\i‘ltiL’llI \\'l|Il Iiiritiing urgiinir liiiitiits “IIIL'II t’iiiiliiiiiL‘s today. "I \I.I\L'LI Iitiiiic :iiid |.irnicLI lull IIIIIL‘ ilIIL‘I Ill\‘ Iirsr child “as htii'ii. I uciii In t'tviiiiiintlily meetings and noticed \\Ul1lL‘Il tIIiIii‘I tillcntl 7 they only IL'LIL‘I'nIitin iiiucliiigs hill L'ilIIlL' In the IW;IIIL|llL'I-:‘ Mtiriti mpliiint‘tl. When she ;|\Is\‘lI \\I'l\' this was. she tlist‘uwiutl iiiniir \HHIICII “etc iiiislirc 01 Hit l\\l|\.‘\ Lllltl iiiiuilling in risk t|iit‘slliiiis which lil.l\‘L‘lltI1;lll;I\\ [Iicmr scst .iiid their spouse. In other \\‘unls. inL' [CJII/L‘Ll IIlL‘IC was it. nccd in L\I|IL';IIC \uiiiiuii on ngriuilturnl Lssucx .‘\II(.‘I EIIIL’llLIIllll .t couple 01' con I'cicnccs :ind iiiccliiig up nith other women in iht' I\II\ILIIC\L‘\ area who agar Maria Van Rommel hnLI similar observations and concerns. Maria became involved in organizing what is now Women for the Support ul’ Agriculture (WSA). Since then. Maria has participated in many other agricultural organi‘ unions. She was on the steering committee for the Turning Point ('onI'crcncc. Maria was Ontario Coordinator for the second and third National Farm Women‘s Conference us \chI as Ontario‘s representative to the National Farm Women‘s Network. She is a member of the Liaison Committee oi" Ontario Farm Organi- mlions and is currently on the executive of the Middlesex Federation of Agriculture. And, Maria is still a member of the WSA. At the moment. however. Maria is "taking a year off". She wants to take a break from her hectic I: t commitments to agricultural 0' «at zations and get tea-energized. “The last year has been very m l was beginning to feel burned .i." Maria admits. At the third National Women’s Conference in New: . Rennie Feddema was named Onwu-‘i Coordinator. Maria is spending mime time with Rennie to make the [WWI-‘11- As someone very involved IV the national farm women’s scene, Mm: says she has seen some developviicnl over the last few years, but ih: November conference seem-3d to present some contradictions. “The idea. of a network it! the national level for farm women was presented to allow edst‘irig 0W0!“ continued on par? 33 â€"_â€"â€"â€".â€"â€"â€"_â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"J 4 H St (' February. March 1988