Seeding progress?

[furrowtickler]

Most are set to roll monday, but next weeks forcast looks cool and damp again. Some seed in the ground here, 1-2%. It is possible the start date wil be well after the 5-8th time frame.

[freewheat]

Zero here. Creeks are filling up again. Friggin wet.

[mbratrud]

about 25% in our area

[fjlip]

Zero here and every drop pushes seeding farther away. 8/10" till now since last night. Rain is now a CURSE in these parts! I have never seen the lawn so spongy. The gravel roads are wrecked. The odd summerfallow is 30% under water. Oh ya, snow flurries by Tuesday? Global warming, my *ss.

[Barleyman]

Central manitoba along u.s. border many of us are done all cereals, and are waiting for some warmer weather for canola. Likley start around may 5. There is a small amount of canola in already. Most farms started around april 17-19, which is about a week earlier than most years. We could use a good rain as we haven't had any yet.

[furrowtickler]

Kilarney area?

[SASKFARMER3]

10% what a painful week the new drill finally i think is working, old did more than it so far.

[grgsrvc]

Half section of wheat in here Central Alberta. Couldn't have asked
for a nicer shot of moisture. 27 mm mainly as rain with 2-3 cm as
frosting. Maybe try again saturday. Almost comical watching the
cowboys rush around trying to spread urea in the rain and snow on
wednesday.

[tipsy]

fjlip I hear-ya. I thought you had a deal that the ones that needed moisture could have our share. Iam not sure why that never materialized but the last thing our farm needed is more MUD. And ZERO done around here.

[freewheat]

If I see anybody tell me, "yeah, but rain makes grain", one more time, I'll blow some sort of gasket I'm sure. We are setting up for disaster. once the precip moves off, we need a week or so to get dry enough, and then, at least in this country, by the time a week has passed, chances are it will have rained again. Here we thought we were going to have an early spring, start the first week of May. MMMMMMMM NOPE. Don't mean to complain, but I am down already, I am edgy, depressed, and have seen enough rain in my days of farming that Scotland looks dry.

I have never so seriously contemplated my future as this moment in time. I just want to farm. I know I can farm, but it is coming close to an involuntary choice to quit. I have no idea what I'd do. Raise sheep?

Am I alone out here? Am I the only one with no prepaid inputs, scant credit for the coming year, and a gut ache every morning? I am a good farmer. The weather is killing me. I am surrounded by wealthy 50 year olds, they still are buying stuff for their boys. I am just trying to survive. What the heck?
Maybe I should just quit. And do what? Sell off my land I bought last year? My tractor? Seeder?

TELL ME I'M NOT ALONE.

[ajl]

Your not alone freewheat. Severe hail damage here in both of the last two years and now swamp wet and this is in the desert.

[bucket]

Freewheat.

Have you not done your reality check yet. Were you not asking about getting out last year?

Are the 50 year olds seeding? Maybe they are stressed just a bit too. Go talk to them. Have a cup of coffee. See how they manage what you are talking about. Chances are they have been there and probably done exactly what you are talking about.

Disaster - you nailed it. This will not be a money making year.

[parsley]

Some time ago, freewheat, I got an email from a particularly prominent farmer, ALSO with a good income from an outside job, and up to his ass in debt.

It was particularly worrisome for him because he is perceived as financially sound.

But he was one year's income-payment away from bankruptcy. He was trying to help set up family as well, and machinery as you know, is unaffordable on today's grain prices.

You are indeed not the only farmer feeling broke, frustrated and feeling alone.

Farmers often feel they don't measure up when they hear the next door neighbor talking about the new tractor. Or when they see the fancy half ton go by his place.

What he doen't know, is that too many times, the extravaganzas are not paid for. Some people have a lot of money, granted. I spent a month in New York, and the wealth infiltrated your brain, but again, not all was what it seemed.

Some of the fanciest flyers have declared bankruptcy and left their communities with their burden, and then they turn around and do it all over again. Sometimes, the folks who have committed to spending huge money to make money are often gamblers. This year, I believe, will be a hard one. I think interest rates will soar in the fall. Some others are just really good at making money.

If you really love to farm, look for ways to save money. To work a little on the side. To cut costs. To share machinery. Spot fertilize. Spot spray. Trade work. Get cows on shares. Do what ya gotta do.

Each of us measures up in our own way.

[fjlip]

Some days none of this makes sense. Way too much risk for the return. Neighbor had auction on Thursday, no more stress other than pay the taxes. He rented the land, plus pensions, plus savings, auction net, no problems. Heard of another getting $60/ acre rent at Watson from the investing group, no weather worries!

[cottonpicken]

I'm always close to hitting the wall,but there is an old
saying that is very true-if you hang by your neck long
enough,you get use to it.


And i would rather go broke expanding a farm and
having descent equipment than pissin around with
junk equipment and a small number of acres.