Are Canadian Farmers the Next Fisherman.

[ivbinconned]

Horse I think that the difference between you and me is our views on what we consider to be “wealth”. As long as I have a wife and family that loves me…I’m the wealthiest man in the world. Materially no one envies me. I have seen men driven by jealousy…it is not a pretty picture.

You seem to be (forgive if I am wrong) hung up the notion that every one should be equal in their lifestyles etc. There is nothing “equal” about the quality of the land from one farm to the next. There is no equality when it comes to results in this risky business. The only place I know of where these ideas are pursued is in unions…where the poorer nurse and poorer teachers are never fired! If you are doing what you love then you have to accept it and just go on with your life and do what you do…best.

You seem to think that others, your friends and neighbors, are simply paid far too much for what they do and this is all accomplished at your expense. You think there is a “pot” somewhere that we all get reimbursed from. There isn’t!

I asked this question in another thread and there was no response to it but I will ask it again here. If 100-200 years ago as the western world was explored and settled had the law been…what ever is discovered out there, it belongs to all of us! What ever can be garnered from the land, no matter what your risk, it belongs to all of us! Would there ever have been a gold rush? Would anyone ever have taken risks? Would there ever have been a Leduc?

I guess you could say that I just don't accept todays premise that the "resourses" belong "equally" to all of us.

We live in a democracy (supposedly), and although not perfect…I wouldn’t trade our form of it for anything further to the left any where in the world. Saskatchewan is bad enough. It is a given that we will not all have equal results when we all have the freedom to make choices with what we do with our lives.

“Democracy is the UN-equal distribution of wealth; and socialism is the equal distribution of poverty.” Said, a great man. I accept that! The sooner you do the sooner you will be content.

I believe in property rights and I wish that there was no such thing as “leases”! I wish that all the land was deeded. In such a scenario…maybe you wouldn’t own any land. But if there are to be leases, then the man who gets the lease should be able to have the freedom to derive income out of it anyway he can. (We have been over this before) It is none of my business. I can rest in the fact that the money stays in Alberta (most I hope) and benefits your local economy.

However when an Alberta lessee, making good money and the Alberta oil patch man making good money, and the kid at Mac Donald’s, and your mechanic, and your grocer who are not making good money subsidize a lawyer in PEI or subsidize our friend stormnorm in Quebec when he grows wheat to the tune of $120.00 per acre …well there is where I draw the line.

I am happy for our Quebec friends, they have shown us the way, we should learn from them. I just wish we had western and federal governments that where as motivated to support your place and mine… but not cowman, he’s got more money than both of us put together….JUST KIDDING!!

If you want to fault me for that, then so be it, I am a WESTERN Canadian!

But it seems to me that if you or anyone else are not as emotional about Quebec farms being subsidized with Alberta money…WHERE THERE IS NO BENEFIT TO YOUR LOCAL ECONOMY (not shouting, just trying to point out the difference) why are you so exercised about your fellow Albertan getting what seems to appear to be a break?

Have a good night my friend.

“A slave is one who waits for someone else to free him”

[cowman]

Now ivebinnconned, what money are you talking about? Why I have to battle the wolf every morning to keep him off the doorstep! Maybe you mistook me for emerald who has money to burn and delights in giving her all to keep the feds in beans and bacon? LOL
I might have a few shekels if I didn't have that boy and his family around, but then what the hell would I blow it on? I'm at that age where I'm more into utility rather than lavish luxury and due to my "thrifty" Scottish nature I doubt I could live the life of Riley! I have to say thrifty instead of cheap or grassfarmer gets upset. LOL

[SASKFARMER3]

I for one have given up on the Idea that I will become rich. I am happy with my life, What gets my goat is how they have created this false sense of worth between farmers. It amazes me how guys who think their doing good and are told this by their accountant when one looks at the farm as a whole they are two days away from a disaster. The Frost of 04 and the Flood in Manitoba of 05 show this. Govt programs did nothing when the farmer was hit hard by mother nature and his back was against the wall. I believed that I would get help my god after 4 bad years in a row it had to finally kick in. But we search for better prices, volume plays a big roll, etc. still nothing.
Farmers we are going down some fast and the ones with Equity a little slower but they to are loosing the battle.

[stormnorm]

nothing is easy,even with asra,have full time outside job,done that since 30 yrs,for sure will make more money selling the farm,but its my way of life an enjoy it,hang on, hope for you it get better.

[cowman]

Without a doubt it is a tough battle! I guess in the big picture we all have to ask ourselves 'Why am I doing this? What is the point and where do I want to be down the road?"
It isn't easy. And the fact is our government has not been all that helpful, often using us as the fall guy for their own cruddy policies?
It's a tough old world and we all have to do what ever it takes to get down that road?
Is it fair? Well no it really isn't! But those who want to succeed will find a way and those that don't.... fall by the wayside.
I don't write this to say I condone in any way the governments callous abuse of the peasants who farm the land! But it is reality? Just my opinion.

[SASKFARMER3]

I agree once its in your blood its their for ever. Yes selling would leave us with a very healthy life. But its what the kids learn in the Rural, The peace an quiet the morning sunrises that make all the stress worth wile.
But I am finally getting ticked at how the Experts in Ottawa that run Canadian Ag and all its Programs have destroyed a vibrant part of our economy.

[Horse]

IVBC I sure wish we could set down at the coffee table sometime because this posting seems to lose its desired effect as I dont see myself the same as you do so am eitier goofier than I think or you are reading it all wrong many tr ago the neibour lady gave me a plaque that said
I dont ask much out of life
Just a little food money
Just a little beer money
and every now and then just a little.
And I have tryed very hard to live that poem along with I Have a GOAL IN LIFE AND THAT IS TO ENJOY IT.
Now for me mabey that is a bottle of hooch with some friends and sometimes to disapear in the mountains with my horse and sometimes I like to point out the enaquities of this gov policy and I still say a subsidy is a subsidy and I dont care wheather it is a Frenchman getint it or a eastindian or the shitkicker who lives in southern Alta it is still wrong.MY Opinion.

[SASKFARMER3]

Horse a subsidy is a subsidy and it is wrong but when we are getting killed by the BS that's going on in the state and in Quebec. Our land values are dropping to nothing rent to landlords is dropping and farmers are leaving maybe its time to admit that the great experiment is a failure and lets join the rest
Sorry enough is enough and to loose the farm not over management issues but due to poor programs that were created by the people of the Great AG Canada.
This is the problem farmers are going broke and once their gone they wont come back. Trust me If this doesn't change and I am gone some day I will leave this country and start a new life some where else, this isn't CANADA any more.

[carebear300]

As long as the higher ups in the agriculture department don't originate from the farm nothing will change. They are just administration people not agrologist types so they have no empathy at all with farmers. They crunch numbers and such hole to their bosses so that they get another promotion in the civil service. A sad state of affairs to say the least.