Posts Tagged ‘farm stories’

Joy of Harvest Washed Away

Friday, July 8th, 2011

When I kissed my husband goodbye this morning he said “I am headed to the swamp !” That pretty much sums up the feelings of many farmers who greet the mist of the morning with sadness. The joy of the harvest across much of the prairies has been washed away. About 40% of Manitoba cropland is left unseeded. Our new plan for the summer is weed control. We seeded 20% of our crop.

The president of Keystone Ag Producers announced on radio this morning that the economic ripple will be felt in Manitoba. Mr. Chorney said that we’ll need 2 months of dry weather to dry things out, so that we can manage the fields for next year. This is a call for creativity and patience as witnessed by the new “dualies” on the back of our high clearance sprayer that hit the soggy fields yesterday. Continue reading Joy of Harvest Washed Away »

Tags: , ,
Posted in Farm Women, Grainews Articles | No Comments »

Crippled By Fear of Court

Monday, April 25th, 2011

Their faces were contorted with fear as I spoke about the importance of a well-crafted will. At the lunch break the farm woman confessed that her husband was being sued by 5 greedy siblings, under the guise of taking care of a demented dad’s interests. I asked quietly if they had a good agricultural lawyer, and she said she was disappointed by the lawyer’s lack of understanding of farm business.

At the farm kitchen table a very astute and innovative farmer confessed to me that he did not have written land lease agreements with his many landlords, because “having things in writing attracts lawsuits.” I was shocked at his beliefs !

Another farmer approached me to reveal that she is now motivated to update their wills, noting that 30 years has passed since the last will was signed. “Where did the time go ?” Continue reading Crippled By Fear of Court »

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Grainews Articles | No Comments »

GET READY TO BE A GREAT FARMER

Friday, December 24th, 2010

Will the farm be profitable for the next 30 years?

The outstanding young farmers that I meet in my travels provide great stories and hope for agriculture’s future.  This month I’ll be meeting with a group of young dairy farmers in the Okanagan as a followup to a meeting with their parents last winter.

Both generations on the farm are typically very hard working.  I get lots of insights on what other young farmers might be thinking when I listen to the young farmer, our son, at our kitchen table.

Last night we were chatting about “sub-soiling” because the excess water on the Prairies has been tough for many folks who didn’t get a crop in, can’t get the crop out and are having severe cash flow crunches.

I think Morris Dorosh in his “If you ask me” column in Agriweek on September 20 really nailed this year when he said, “It takes nerves of tool steel to get through an experience like this without long-lasting effects.  The strain on families and personal relationships is extreme, a test of character that most people never have to pass.”

Character counts.

The Outstanding Young Farmer Awards announcements are glowing reports of young couples who possess strong character.  They have “gotten ready” to do well in their chosen field. Continue reading GET READY TO BE A GREAT FARMER »

Tags: , ,
Posted in Farming Business | 3 Comments »

Cultivating great farm root stories

Monday, March 8th, 2010

At January’s Farm Tech 2010 in Edmonton we were treated to a very heartfelt portrayal of thankfulness from a Newfoundlander who was grateful for prairie farmers. Rex Murphy, host of Cross Country Check-up was the guest story-teller on the podium. He admitted he was feeling under the weather, but another audience member who had heard Rex speak before said this story was his best performance, because he let us into his soul. Continue reading Cultivating great farm root stories »

Tags: , ,
Posted in Farming Business, Grainews Articles | No Comments »