Got on the land October 20th

[freewheat]

My hairy scary chem fallow didn't burn as I hoped. So I rented a neighbors cultivator and spiked my canola stubble chem fallow. First actual field work this year. My young boy loved getting out there finally. It was good to get out and try to dry out wet ground, even though it sucks to cultivate and wreck my no-till effort. Last time I left chemfallow untouched when it was wet, however, it was worse the following year.

Spun a lot. Burnt a lot of fuel, but hey, the soil is exposed, and maybe in spring it'll dry out a bit. One half section was like a maze, though, going around piles of water, need to get the v-ditcher out. SHHHHH don't tell Sask water, ok?

I finally felt like a farmer these last few days. Be nice to have some revenue soon though. Too bad I gotta wait another full year. I'm hoping my banker lets me have another kick at the can.

Do I dare price 2011 canola? I'd say we have a 20-30% chance of seeding maybe 20-30% of our land next year, its that wet still. It's hard to not have grain to sell today at these prices, but I think its harder to not price some for next year. What if a guy can't seed again next year? I guess if a guy is going down, he may as well go down HARD. LOL

[Ron]

Wow, I cant imagine the year you must
have had. Hopefully with some black
showing it will warm/dry up for you next
year. And I would ditch the hell out of
it regardless of popular opinion, its
about survival.

As to the new crop pricing, will there
be an acreage battle next spring between
corn and beans? Maybe $11 canola isnt a
good starting point if there is a chance
you wont be able to seed and have to buy
out the contract (what if its $15 due to
another wet spring in western canada and
a drop in bean acres?)

Good luck

[ajl]

Unseeded land was a lot more profitable than seeded and subsequently flooded out land which we had a lot of. Especially in Sask. where you get more for unseeded than here in AB.

[fjlip]

There was $70 for unseeded, plus $30 flooded out, but the land is nearly ruined and will take years of normal( whatever that is)or LOW precip to recover. Huge increase in salinity and the compaction is wicked. What long term cost is that in lost productivity? We lost big time due to 3 times normal rain. Next year looks scary already. Last thing we needed is rain before freeze up and it's happening.

[ajl]

Have the same problem here. Land is ruined due to slough weeds and salinity. Barley and canola are the only crops that may have a chance in 2011.

[fjlip]

Yes, that salinity is all around WATER filled sloughs that we seeded and harvested last November. 1/2" of rain till now, snow forecast, flood disaster 2010 is NOT over yet. Is anyone getting RAIN that needs it? I sure as h*ll hope so. Rather be thankful like you than sad to see more rain.

[riders2010]

Take it from people that went through this last time in 2005, 06 and 07, what fjlp is saying is right, the water table and compaction with any amount of rain next year crops are screwed. It hasn't stopped here for a day and a half and more coming. The worked fields are slop wonder if that was a good thing to do or not the unworked fields the water is running out of at least some places.