Weed Notes - Feb. 27
- Details
- Published on Thursday, February 26, 2015
By Sid Lewis
Supervisor
Readers will see the positions for Midwest Weed District advertised this week. A relative from Melita emailed me and said they were astonished I had done all the requirements in the ad!
I mentioned last week about the requirement of passing two exams to be able to have the applicator licence. For the second part of the licence, the municipal part of the course is required. All hopeful applicants write the core part of the test and then according to whatever a person wants to do, he/she takes the appropriate section. If golf grounds, landscaping is required, or if seed treatment, that is taken and so on. For what this job structure entails, the municipal is the needed part. With this profession, credits can be accumulated over the five years between courses by attending the thrice-a-year seminars put together by Manitoba Weed Supervisors Association — another excellent reason for attending them! At the end of the period if enough credits are there, the licence is given without the usual required exams.
Something the board didn’t realize is that the first six months I worked for Midwest District, the previous supervisor and assistant worked with me every day, alternating days with each other. With old machinery at the time and green as heck in so many areas, this was so, so, SO valuable to me in starting work. Their total of 15 years’ experience... words cannot say how valuable this instruction was to help me cope with everyday challenges as situations presented themselves. The only area up to present day I never was able to perfect was when Don Kennedy went to a person with negligent weed control practices and told them there had to be improvements made. The hard stare he gave the person every time made them have a change in underwear, or so I am told! Known for his cigars, maybe that was where the shortfall for me was; it’s now a little too late for me to start smoking Whiteowls!
As April 30 (my retirement date) comes closer every day, look for a more relaxed expression from me, but more of a strained look on Terry! A very close friend of mine, Ralph Sheane, has already approached me with a three-week trip for us up the Alaska Highway. He says whenever we pass a friendly little town we will stop at a restaurant, have a coffee, a piece of pie, and visit the locals. Then we will carry on until the next stop. Knowing from other enjoyable trips with Ralph, I mentioned we might not go any farther than part way through Saskatchewan and winter would be coming. His answer was we would just stop wherever we are, stay there and the following spring whenever the notion came between us, we would start again!
If you have any questions or concerns for Midwest Weed District please phone 204-764-2128.
