Rural stress

[wilagro]

What a summer. Yesterday the grasshoppers ate the beets and cucumbers. Today they demolished the radishes (they just left the roots so were easy to pick). I wonder what is next. They haven't touched the corn, beans or peas.
The worst part of this infestation is that we have no control around our gardens. We don't want to poison our pets, birds or ourselves.
There were a couple of flocks of seagulls working on the pasture but got their fill in no time and left.
Anyone else having problems with these huge 'flocks' of hoppers?
Don't know what is next...perhaps hail, potato beetles or god knows what.
Anyway it is very disheartening to say the least.

[cowman]

I get around a bit in Central Alberta and all the farmers I've talked to are stressed out. Angry, confused, ready to give up. The cow guys worst of all but the grain guys too. For the cattlemen the world is coming to an end real quick! The pastures gone, the hayfields are either hardly worth cutting or the cows are in them right now!
Canola is pretty well a writeoff and a lot of the barley crops are starting to burn up and die. The leaves are turning yellow and no where near heading out. These crops won't even make greenfeed. I've seen wheat that is trying to head out at less than six inches. One hog farmer told me it is the end of farming! Says with no barley crop to speak of prices have to go up and pigs are in for a big wreck this fall if you follow the futures. He says the barn is paid for and he will empty it out and let it sit. Says it doesn't make much sense to lose massive amounts of money every few years.
I suspect many, many farmers are speculating if this is the year to quit. When a lot of these guys sell the cows they won't be getting back in no matter how good the weather gets or what the price does. We need to bring in more European farmers. They got the money and they have a different outlook on life.

[carebear300]

Cowman I think that maybe the Europeans coming in is okay, but maybe this government should wake up and try and save the farmers we have left here. If the government had been doing their fair share in the past number of years the farmers would have been able to put away a few extra bucks in the good years. In the end it took all of the income in the good years just to survive and that is why we are in the state we are right now.

[cowman]

Oh, I agree with you 100%. The various governments have mismanaged just about everything to do with agriculture. And they've been spending money like a bunch of drunken sailors. I think they are at a point where they can't really do much. Blew all the money on things like healthcare and education and advertizing grants in Quebec.
When the government decided to get rid of the 5 year averaging thing for taxes it was the biggest ripoff in tax history. Then they try to tell us they are lowering taxes...Not! Smoke and mirrors and double talk!
So now we have Sakatchewan and Manitoba too broke to kick in their share of the ag bailout. Roads falling apart and schools and hospitals going to hell in a handbasket. And yet I suspect the civil servants and politicians in Regina and Winnepeg are not going hungry? Alberta would be just as broke except for our oil revenues which lets old Ralph be the big hero. And why is there this big shortfall in revenue? Consider the last Alberta budget....$450 million EXTRA for education and healthcare. Gutted the agriculture department and infrastructure programs and added another $700 million in cigarette and booze taxes. Took the lotto funds away from the communities and into general revenues and increased licenses and fees across the board. But Ralph says" The only way taxes are going in Alberta is down"!
Now the arbitration boards have given teachers a 14% increase. The minister of education says no more money to the school boards so they naturally decide a lot of teachers will have to go...not so says the minister, you can run a deficit!!! So guess what happens next year? Up the property taxes go to pay for last years pay hike! Where does this insanity end?