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Cold soaker...cold comfort

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    #11
    It has been a difficult year for many. The mental stress is the worst as it is difficult to escape from.

    We have seen wet years before but in my 30 some years of farming we have seen more extreme weather events in the last 10 - 15 years than in the previous 30. The insurance industry is well aware of this and has paid out billions in claims.

    While many will deny the role that climate change may be having in changing weather patterns the reality is the artic is changing rapidly and the loss of summer ice and increased absorption of the suns energy will speed up the process.

    What impact this is having on weather patterns is not cut and dried, but you would have to be living in a cave to think it won't have an impact. The science predicted increased rainfall events and it is happening.

    Farmers will adapt as much as possible but after 30-40 inches of rain in the Moosimin area it is difficult to get anything done.

    What continues to amaze me is that so many farmers spend so much to grow that extra bushel in a flooded market! Why not adopt a lower cost production system, reduce the supplies and increase net incomes?

    It is difficult to grow your way out of depressed prices when the market can't take your product. Farmers are spraying more, fertilizing more, buying expensive equipment and not making any more profit on bigger acreages.

    Farmers have become addicted to expensive seed, chemicals and technology some of which has benefits and some of which is unnecessary or a bad investment.

    Farmers are so brain washed about zero till they are reluctant to cultivate chronically wet land in order to help dry it out. Zero tillage has many benefits, but if you can't seed your cereal stubble in a wet spell perhaps it is time to pull out the cultivator this fall before next years seeding is delayed by spring runoff.

    Farmers will adapt to the reality or perish.

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      #12
      Just for fun

      Why not admit that corn can't be grown for the $1,70's that is currently being offered to North Dakota farmers at their elevators. And be darned if $2.09 Canadian isn't a bargain for barley.

      Instead of attempting to produce your own....why couldn't there be a feasable way for purchasers (including other farmers ) to do their part by not growing grain at a loss.....and take "surplus" grain out of the current marketing stream by purchasing at today's firesale prices.


      Of course there is the education process needed to convince most farmers that in the longer term they might be better off not giving grain away to current companies and that there could be net benefits to themselves and farmers as a whole by actually taking grain from the marketing stream until grain prices do sigificantly improve.

      I think farmers might well chose to suffer low prices forever rather than see another farmer have a chance to make an extra dollar

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        #13
        A few points:

        As long as I have the freedom to do what I want, I have a better chance of success.

        I don't want to be forced to cooperate with anyone, farmers included. Good riddance CWB monopoly.

        Zero till continues to work well for us. All our neighbours are working black. Their decision. Their land. Not for long. They keep tillin we'll own them eventually.

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          #14
          Success does not necessarily follow freedom. You have made an assertion, not proved a point or stated a fact. You and people like you have cost western Canadian agriculture billions. You have made me work harder for less money.

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            #15
            My assertion becomes my fact. It's not my fault you feel inept. Accept personal responsibility.

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              #16
              ooh-oh....

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                #17
                Ooh-oh what? More like hahaha.

                I was bored. It's raining.

                Now that I've caused trouble I'm going practicing target shooting.

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                  #18
                  My feed wheat today is worth $3.23/bu.
                  In 2005 it was worth $2 & No2 was worth $4.00.
                  For hundreds of reasons you can't bury the past deep enough. Anyone who believes we'd have been better off this last year with the old system is most definitely Oblivious!

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                    #19
                    Braveheart, I made a hell of a lot of money with the lowly discer. seed, weed and feed in one operation! I grew 85 bushel Glenlea, 50 bushel Canaryseed, 40 bushel Eston Lentils, with just plain old N and P, no disease. From what I see today, this method appears to be growing so-so crops but disease is harboured in the excess trash. That's just my opinion, so Braveheart, what may seem obvious to you today, may not be tomorrow. I'll talk to you in 20 years.

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                      #20
                      Canpotex, OPEC, Dairy farmers of Canada, various labour Unions, Federated Coops, to name just a few exmaples of organizations that find benefits in a cooperative approach.

                      Farmers like to portray them selves as independent but are totally dependent on other businesses that have more bargaining power.

                      Walmart is a good example. Would individual Walmart stores have more buying power than Walmart the Multinational Corporation? I think the answer is obvious.

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