Saskfarmer3

[farmaholic]

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cycp-cpcj/bull-inti/index-eng.htm CLICK HERE FOR HELP SF3

[sumdumguy]

Farmaholic, I went there too.

[farmaholic]

Geez....I was joking, didn't intend to make a thread killing post.

SF3 craves and thrives on criticism! It gives him a higher high than OxyContin... makes him euphoric, 10 feet tall and bullet proof, but not weather proof! ....quit feeding the beast!

[grassfarmer]

Geez....I was joking, didn't intend to make a thread killing post.

SF3 craves and thrives on criticism! It gives him a higher high than OxyContin... makes him euphoric, 10 feet tall and bullet proof, but not weather proof! ....quit feeding the beast!

An uncharacteristic spelling mistake from you there farma - it's spelt a-t-t-e-n-t-i-o-n not c-r-i-t-i-c-i-s-m.

[farmaholic]

Nothing like some sarcastic goading to stimulate the discussion....

[Crestliner]

Thank you AlbertaFarmer5 and GDR for a well thought out essay on the many many benefits we have farming in Western Canada. You have covered all the bases and I share your view and optimism for our industry. The things that are not perfect in Ag will and have been evolving. It was just a little over 12 years ago when I had to steer all our equipment and now it is easy...just a small example of progress. I used a helicopter to spray fungicide the other day...amazing work and results. 10 years ago that wasn’t available. Today just about every plane runs a jet turbine....10 years ago not so much....will be interesting to see where we are in the next 10. 10 years ago I was buried in debt...now almost out of debt...we have had a good run and I am really thankful for that. Each has a different experience and I appreciate the viewpoint of all who take the time to write in.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

I know we’re you were in Hawaii and really the ag on that area were the flow is entering the ocean isn’t prime farm land. But yea I get your point.

Not much large scale farming happening there, some orchards and gardens mostly. Probably because it is not the easiest place in the world to farm, rains almost daily, the lava is so young there is almost no topsoil yet, and there is a constant threat of new eruptions.

My point is we have no second chances in canada somethingg goes wrong it’s next year country.

Actually, we have a lot of second chances, just maybe not something that we can harvest with a combine, in fact, you would have even more second chances than I get, here in the shortest growing season possible. We can seed up to late July and still get a huge crop for swath grazing, same applies if you have been hailed out or flooded out. In 2014, after hail took nearly everything in early August, then frost ruined any chance of combining the regrowth, we baled most of it, sold it for good prices, fed the rest to our own cows so we could sell all our hay for even better prices, and left some for swath grazing during winter. The two years before that hail in end of July/early August and crops regrew completely and we harvested average crops.

Yea the hail does piss a guy off but that’s farming.

Hail is heart breaking, partly because there nothing you can do about it but helplessly watch, and it is so arbitrary where it hits. An entire years work gone in minutes. This is one time when some cows are good therapy, after surveying the damage from hail, go check cows, at least they survived.

[SASKFARMER3]

Alberta no one in his right mind is trying to farm on the lava field in Hawaii.

Yes I get your point but Canadian ag is short season cool climate and yes only one chance. Go check your cows after ten years of drought and they could have problems.

I’m just saying Mother Nature rules the roost in a short season growing area.

And she can be a real bitch.

Good luck in your part of the world.

[sumdumguy]

Oh, the madness of trying to farm in the Palliser Triangle! Don’t want to be Donny Downer but just thought I’d mention that the price of wheat is about a buck and a half lower than it was in 1974 and a gallon of gas has gone from 16 cents to $6.00 in that time. Are we having fun?

[bucket]

Oh, the madness of trying to farm in the Palliser Triangle! Don’t want to be Donny Downer but just thought I’d mention that the price of wheat is about a buck and a half lower than it was in 1974 and a gallon of gas has gone from 16 cents to $6.00 in that time. Are we having fun?

But we are making it up on volume.....lol.

Can someone post that clip from Saturday Night Live....

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Alberta no one in his right mind is trying to farm on the lava field in Hawaii.

Yes I get your point but Canadian ag is short season cool climate and yes only one chance. Go check your cows after ten years of drought and they could have problems.

I’m just saying Mother Nature rules the roost in a short season growing area.

And she can be a real bitch.

Good luck in your part of the world.

Except everywhere in Hawaii is a lava field, some older than others, and there is lots of farming going on. The macadamia nut farm we stayed on was almost pure lava for soil. Almost all back breaking work done by hand too. But at least they don't get winter to get a break from the work...

[SASKFARMER3]

Yea Alberta we use winter for a break when the rest of the world can grow a second crop to sell. Or make up for a shitty harvest.

Yes the productive soils on the NE end of the island are awesome. Lava not so much.

But keep that Alberta glass half full. Me as a realist we as a country and as farmers are going backwards. Fuel is crazy, costs of production are nuts. Equipment is insane. But farming here is great.

Keep believing

[sumdumguy]

But we are making it up on volume.....lol.

Can someone post that clip from Saturday Night Live....

Yield wise, I don’t think our yields have increased that much. We saw sixty bushel canaryseed, 45 bushel Estons, and 90 bushel Glenlea. I think poorer, lower assessed lighter land has benifitted from no-till or chemical till.

By the way, is anyone going to the organic field days this year?

[jamesb]

My observation is not directed at anyone in particular but seems right to voice it with the general discussion in this thread. I admit it, I am a optimist. I started farming full time in 1988, in the worst drought our farm ever saw. The next 20 years saw poor margins in most years. It was 10 years ago that the pendulum finally swung the other way and profit in farming was a lot easier. I do believe we are due for a downturn. It is going to hurt on one hand but the best opportunities occur when things are the bleakest. Land costs come down when most think its a poor bet. We were able to buy land in the last 15 years that are a quarter of todays value. People thought guys were crazy to buy land.
Thing is there always exists a negativity in the farming community in a percentage of the people. I know guys that it doesn't matter if prices are high or low , crops good or bad, etc they are always bitching about things. I sometimes think that with some of the posters come here to vent and maybe don't really feel that way. With others it is very obvious they are truly not happy where things are at. The question I have asked a couple guys is that if they are so negative on the future of farming , why do they do it? No one should be forced to farm. I love farming but I have it treat it like a business not a way off life. There is great opportunities off the farm if the farming game is not for them. I have some close friends that made that decision and it was the best thing they ever did. Way less stress for them and were much happier.

[biglentil]

Yes negativity is a disease. Seems there is a direct correlation to optomism and success. Those that feel that "no one else can do it but me types" or "everyone else sucks" or "I don't need anybody's help" are doomed to mediocrity.


Those that can recognize ability, buid teams and can trust are some of the most successful people I know.