Drought

[silverback]

Just wondering how dry it is across these prairies?

How dry does it have to get before some areas decide against canola? Or does it matter?

(yes I know it is still march, but it getting to look a little interesting around here and there has been very little water from above for a very long time now)

[checking]

The fact that we can't control the weather, for the most part, is a good thing. So, I'm looking forward to the drought that humbles the canola guys whose yields are pushing 50 bushels/acre by porking their inputs, and technology. A little humble pork pie for 2010. Delicious!

[brian99]

Dry fall in Southern AB and dry winter as well. Made a trip up to Saskatoon through Rosetown and could see lots of stubble above the snow... Dry all the way up to Edmonton as far as I know. We've had steady day time highs above 10 for a while now. Got the tractor out and made a pass on the home quater. Moved a little dirt just to drive the neighbours nuts... We need rain, but if the fogs are right, May will be a soaker.

[SASKFARMER3]

Checking nice nice nice. Only good thing out of a drought is that those guys in that area at least know when to quit pumping inputs into a useless crop in East Sask we keep giving it right up to the night before it freezes. Its dry and yet know real worry in West Canada it doesn't even make the news. If this was Australia or Argentina of Brazil the Ag news would be all over it. Here were don't worry be happy attitude. But after driving from Kamsack to Calgary the last week its easy to see very little run off and hm not much snow fall in Mt's on west side. HM. But yea its only march. Where are the crop reports like Australia Production of 30 million ton I know it hasn't rained for a year but hey were optimistic it will attitude. Oh well!

[ado089]

Saskatoon to Maidstone/Unity is ok but it sure isn't wet. West and north it's bone dry. We need a good shot of moisture before seeding or shortly after.

[ado089]

Where we are in east/central sask there is still snow in the field. After a month of rain in October I think spring seeding conditions will be ideal. We will just need a couple timely rains to grow an average crop.

Instead of hoping for a drought in the west I feel for you guys. Right now it does not look good for you area but I honestly hope it changes.

Hoping for a drought to extinguish a flame that we are burning it complete childish and selfish. Long term, any type of disaster effects the whole country. Hoping that someone experiences a hardship just goes against honest human nature.

[cottonpicken]

Budda believed that by wishing ill will on someone it
would actually come back to you.

[Jay-mo]

In Southwest Mb the snowpack is probably 75% gone with very little runoff. We could still get a late March or April blast of snow but as it stands now we should have excellent soil moisture to start the crop.
Might be another 50 bushel canola crop...

[JDGreen]

Budda was right. I think it is called Karma, and its a real bi__h apparently.. Wishing ill will on others is just a weak mans way of trying to compete with the strong.

[ado089]

Drought is not good for anyone. An average year for all would be nice to put eveverything back into perspective. As long as it's a real average and not crop insurance average. WTF?

[brian99]

SF3... yah,we are below average for moisture in the mountains,but not that far below. Some watersheds are in the normal range. Some of the lower ranges are melted off but the high snow builds into May. There's time yet. I used to go skiing at Sunshine after seeding. It seems to be when the mountains are dry, we have a hard time getting rain here.

[checking]

Budda is reading too much into this.

Wasn't he the one that wouldn't take a stone out of his shoe because it would change the path the pebble was on? He was prepared to accept a sore foot over changing the destiny, the location, of where the rock would fall out on its own. I'm not there, yet! Apologies to your God, if he's not the one, CP.

Some know that 99 was just an average European farmer! How's production volumn working for you that forces everyone to match, or exceed it to maintain a 2007-2008 income? Perhaps someday, 99, you will understand that the winners are not us.

[checking]

Your source of information that you were "checking" into was wrong.

Born in Sask, raised in Sask, lived all my life here.

Just received the letter of entitlement for the century farm award...

Why is it so hard to believe that many do well in the business of farming.

We should be trying to learn from others rather than trying cut them down or cast the "curse" onto them.

For those that have posted the thoughts of budha, thank you, it was greatly appreciated.

[checking]

Here's an over production problem for you to help cipher, Mr. Hockey.

In late August, a wild female cat showed up in the yard. Approach range was 50 feet, but she was intent on staying. In the space of a few minutes she was seen with a fresh mouse in her jaws, three times. Cool - this yard will be out of the over production of mice in no time.

October rolled around. Remember October! Cool turned to cold. The gophers had holed up, the mice were scarse, and the worker cat deserved to be fed for the winter for a job well done. She tamed down fast on crumbles from off the step.

The nice days of November arrived. Dang, so did five, 1/3 grown, hungry, wild kittens. Well, sort of! Their approach range was 100 feet, but they soon learned what crumbles were.

Today, they are full sized. Approach zone, 50 feet, and a bat out of hell speed comes to mind. The mother cat is in the family way, and at least two of the five offspring were knocked up by a frequenting neighbour's tom, yesterday.

Since you're familiar with grain over production, 99, what would you do?

[checking]

First, my management style would have been to fend off the problem before it occurs by either disposing of the cat in a hamane fashion or catching the cat and spaying.

I hear what you are saying, over production is not a good thing and maybe you are right.

On the other hand, look at it from our point of view:

Production is how we make money. Generating as most production through as efficient means is our advantage and how we remain profitable. We don't push excessive amounts of inputs into the land, its more a reasonable approach. We are not trying to take over the world but if land comes up or we are offered, we are interested. We don't buy equipment for tax reasons and we pay more tax per month in corp tax instalments than the above average worker earns in 6. We don't look for the government support to cover our declines in income however participate in 80% crop insurance, AgriStability and AgriInvest programs to our full entitilement. We have a very strong Agristability reference margin on a per acre basis going into 2010's crop and I know that others don't have. I can't change the fact that the program is not working for others.

If you want to lobby for support, complain to the Cargil's, ADM's, Viterra's and Richardson Pioneers Exec's. They are the ones that are raping the industry of farmer profits, they are the ones that are setting their prices at level's high enough to pad their pockets. Its the same issue in the cattle industry, the packers and the retailers are taking the profits, leaving little to the farmer.