Well, the weather on the weekend gave us another shot of spring rain so the total for the year is 1/2 inch as of today. Grass is not counting snow showers because its cold and the pellets blow away.
The ground is back to freezing at night again but it seems some sloughs dropped a lot on Sunday and Monday after it warmed up so nice.
Looks like lots of guys are staying the course. But the one famous farm has turned over as the previous renter has left the building. The new guys I wish luck as they have deeper pockets but rent would have to be the same as the others are paying and no special deal wink wink was had. It's the OTPF its this price or nothing. Others would have taken it.
Lots of Snake oil salesman have been making the rounds this year and soil health is the big talked about point.
Still, have my great visits with the Salesman from Rocky and Pattison but were staying the course and looking at a different plan for new or slightly new equipment if Deere and CIH don't get the price or programs in place. Need a drill maybe a week and they will have it.
Farmer sales are higher than Dealer RB sales, watch next week.
Cost of production is something I always like to look at on our farm and would tell my clients years ago watch your costs. Yes, we all know there is insurance where you just go seed and spray and fert to the max and your covered. Someone tell me they got a check that was actually what they thought it would be.
Every farm is different with Cost of production some have everything paid for and use cash from their account. (no Line of credit). Some farms have minor opp ( line of Credit) or use the FCC programs. Some farms use Input Capital. Some farms have Chinese investors. Some farms have Canadian investors and some farms are on the edge and some this is the last year for them. All are different. But its about making money.
Decided against driving one Rm over to the SE and taking on the 11 quarters. One is getting older and two with the shit show with Canola do I really want more grain in storage come fall. Next year will be very interesting, to say the least.
This whole shit show reminds me of the 80s, where we just came off the great 1979 boom and life was but a dream. THen interest rates went to the moon and last was expensive and trade wars heated up and the USA and Europe protected their farmers and Canadians we were told sorry get more efficient or quit. We have too many of you anyway.
Well, farmers were a smart breed back then we figured out direct seeding and one pass and changed for the better I feel. We cut way back on Fuel use. We cut back on equipment we needed. One good high clearance sprayer from the USA in the early 80s plus a nice new Flexicoil 5000 Air drill, Equipment like harrow packer bars and deep tillage were parked or sold off and wow the crops got better. I remember one farm we took over that was half and a half, the owner stopped by at harvest and said you guys get almost double what I grew on summer fallow.
But now we get penalized by the Liberal gov for our hard work and are told were not helping with our carbon sinks etc. Kind of hard to take when your own government screws you.
So most are finishing cleaning up grain contracts, Going to auction sales to look, kick tires, visit or buy as its a buyers market for good used Equipment. Most are going south as what a deal the Americans are getting off us.
For our farm, the HRS is all cleaned and the Certified Brandon has arrived plus the Certified Copland to make Cargill happy on Purity even if we are 98%. Yes, Malt is a game.
This week the plant is switched over to peas and were doing a small run of Yellows for ourselves. Yes, we are seeding peas but it's our smallest crop ever. Changing were we seed to fields a little further away and they haven't had peas for 15 to 20 years.
Equipment that has been in town and repaired because I couldn't fit under the Cab to change two hoses and seals, Little to much time in Florida and about 15lbs overweight doesn't help. HAHAHAHA The Cab had to come off.
Drills are out and in the yard, as its the year the discs are changed and coulters repaired. New hoses on a few lines and one crack found. Yes on the Bourg. Drill two will be replaced after this year.
The sprayer is sitting in the shed as its too cold and too many projects still to get to.
The farm information is added to Climate Field View and my order is set just haven't pushed the pay here with Visa price yet. Still doing research.
Looking for 4 to 6 qyarters south of town if anyone is sick of their renter or wants a northern guy to stir up the pot. Yes, I was told years ago ill never cross the highway because I am the wrong nationality but hey we have gay pride parades and JT is our PM were everything is rosy so maybe a German/Ukranian blend might.
Still snow on the Back roads as of yesterday.
I can't believe how much bush was pushed in our area and how much land has been cleared for this year.
So with seeding three weeks away north of the valley, I would say seeding intentions have not changed.
4000 Canola down 1000
Barley 500 not feed but malt.
Peas 500 Yellows not green.
5000 HRS unless trump shuts the southern border to the USA for HRS against Tariffs the Trudeau gov is thinking of adding to help the steel industry. No one did a check to see what industries would be affected by the line in Canada. Ah, someone send the Liberals some new crayons so they can work hard on this file.
The canola shit show is going to continue and I would bet nothing will get decided at her court hearing in Early May. Nothing.
I disagree with Errol the USA and China will get a deal. Because the only country in the world buying cheap Chinese shit is the USA in big quantities. Soy and Corn and Wheat will be flowing that way and shit products will be coming to the USA. If they ever switch those canola crush plants to Soy were Dead in the Water. Don't let your BS advisors tell you different.
Playoff hockey is here and Yes I'm cheering for Tampa Bay. Got an email from a Woman who has tickets for playoff games as she and her husband and kids cant go. You would shit if I said the price vs Calgary playoff tickets.
The flight down and parking at the game would be cheaper.
Maybe happy easter to Me.
Anyway its 21 days till seeding and counting, May one is magic date for our are. Every time we seeded in April. Every Time it was a shitty crop.
Have a great week if your buying equip its a great time to upgrade, or visiting with family and friends. But if someone in the group is sitting quite and making excuses as to no going or seems down. Maybe stop in and talk you never know.
The guy on the videa that is posted says alot about farming. Big Corp makes the lion share and we do all the work for Peanuts if you dont beleive that your dreaming in Tec Colour. Were bottom feeders. Its got to change or were all done, them and us.
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