Friday Crop Report on a Thursday!

[FarmJunkie]

Sounds like a good plan Highwayman. Won’t be far behind u in that department. When u think about it u are amazed at how quickly time passed and u went from building up the farm to trying to slowly relieve yourself of more duties. Looking forward to it in a few years. Enjoy it because before u know it were gonna be too old to swing a golf club.

[farmaholic]

Congratulations Highwayman. Enjoy the fruits of your labour.

Probably not the easiest decision someone has to make. But there comes a time you just know......

[jazz]

Thats sort of a sad post highway. So many of these farms without the next generation coming, in mine included. My dad and I will putz for a few more yrs then the writing is probably on the wall here too.

Right now we are extracting some equity out of the farm for a trust for the kids who are all under 10. Looking at selling a lone quarter I have and investing in an alternate business that my kids might have an interest in but this will be the last generation farm in our family.

[farmaholic]

Highwayman, 57 isn't even that old but the possibility of unexpected health issues or not being able to go hard like a 35 year old makes decisions easier. Then no one wanting to "carry the torch" must really sway the decision.

It's not an easy way to make a living, the risk and fighting battles on multiple fronts can really wear you down.

AND THE COSTS..... insane.

Yup, then you ask yourself why?

[highwayman]

Building our 3rd generation farm from my grandfather who homesteaded in 1908 to today has been an absolute joy for me and has been an incredible journey but I realize the sacrifices I’ve made regarding my loved ones and toll that it has taken especially on my wife to achieve the size and scope that it is today. Taking some time the last few weeks to reflect makes me realize that unwinding it all now without a successor may be more difficult then it was to build it in the first place, at least emotionally speaking. My apologies for my tone but my lust for this industry is fading as I observe my friends and neighbors who have already done just what we plan to do and are admittedly more content than ever. Time to seek a better balance in our lives rather then be consumed by it all!!

[Partners]

Done harvest 2020.
Yields were better than expected.
Nice to be done early.

[SASKFARMER]

We gave it an E for effort but the southern land just couldn't do it in 2020. Yield Half 2019. So my spring Canola harvest had higher yields than fall 2020 down south.

[bucket]

We gave it an E for effort but the southern land just couldn't do it in 2020. Yield Half 2019. So my spring Canola harvest had higher yields than fall 2020 down south.

Well then you should be in for a big agristability payment and the couple of CEBA loans should get you through the rough spot... just poking and what are you doing up so early ...did you not get rain today?

[MBgrower]

Finished here yesterday. Started aug 8 on red lentils and only a couple days of showery weather shut us down for day here and there. Crops were average to slightly below average on durum, canola and lentils. Scaling down the farm starting next year as both my daughter and son have good jobs in the city and express no desire to succeed us. At 57 keep asking myself why we work this hard as life passes us by and my wife reminds me that we can still enjoy the farm life on a much smaller scale where we are not so reliant on hired help. Drafting a plan to rent out 75% of our land base at this time and then learn to live again. Travel, golf, fish and enjoy some grandchildren. Salute.

I know a few guys who got out, rented or sold the land, they were still in their 50's, and really enjoy life now. Most farms wont last forever, so enjoy life while you can.

[GDR]

Have been swathing the last few days, combine hasnt moved yet however the last 2 days some early barley has started coming off. Late seeding due to spring harvest, then monsoon rains for June and july, turning hot and dry in August and then cloudy or smoky in September has really taken a toll on crops. Lots of drowned out spots and lots of disease, even on fungicided crops. Few really nice crops on high well drained land.

Lots of these green spots that just didnt grow until the rains quit. Interesting to see the head difference between those spots that had somewhat better weather later on and the early stuff that survived daily rains for 2 months.

[woodland]

Have been swathing the last few days, combine hasnt moved yet however the last 2 days some early barley has started coming off. Late seeding due to spring harvest, then monsoon rains for June and july, turning hot and dry in August and then cloudy or smoky in September has really taken a toll on crops. Lots of drowned out spots and lots of disease, even on fungicided crops. Few really nice crops on high well drained land.

Lots of these green spots that just didnt grow until the rains quit. Interesting to see the head difference between those spots that had somewhat better weather later on and the early stuff that survived daily rains for 2 months.

GDR I’m slightly jealous of your barley😉. It’s still vertical whereas mine is horizontal or halfway there. Crop lifters are necessary as usual it seems. The combine has ate a few and only grumbled about it. Changed over to some stubby ones since we started chopping straw today and with the price of chopper knives I’m paranoid of running them through. Today I saw more dust out of the combine than the last three years combined. It was nice for a change. Hopefully this weather holds................🤞