OF ONE THING THERE'S NO DOUBT: the Honeywood/Redickville area is richly endowed, in more ways than one.

Its rich soil and gentle slopes have proven ideal for several crops, but particularly for highquality potatoes.

Then again, its height — more than 1,700 feet above sea level — has made it an attractive area for those wanting to build wind farms.

And then there's what lies beneath — huge quantities of aggregates atop the precious limestone of the Niagara Escarpment.

There's little doubt that this fascinating combination has played a role in the purchase of as much as 7,000 acres of prime farmland by a group headed by John Lowndes.

Now the real question in the minds of the 300 area residents who attended last Saturday's meeting in Honeywood is what really are the long-term plans of the Lowndes group. Does a map showing a spur rail line to the Downey Farms distribution centre west of Horning's Mills not suggest plans well beyond moving potatoes?