The last week of July has arrived! Today is our big Crop Day in the District. We have to do some quick pivoting because our specialist didn’t feel they should be travelling to the Northwest because of the fires. They felt that they would be using resources that are needed for those that have been evacuated.
We are too far along to cancel, so we reached out to some other very knowledgeable people within our district and neighbours to the west! We are making a few changes, but otherwise it will be business as usual.
I am excited about the people who quickly jumped on board and agreed to stand in and travel to the area. We will have a great morning at the Station, followed by lunch before we take off and travel across the district and see some great crops and farms. We will be ending our tour at Cornell Farms, where we will discuss growing corn for beef cows and the use of e-collars, topped off with a barbecue.
I likely have one more day of cutting hay, and that job will be nearing the end. I have a leaking seal on a tractor wheel that I have been watching closely and hoping I can get it through the season. I was going to haul hay yesterday, and my friend suggested I wait until I was done haying in case the seal decided to go.
I listened. So I was lucky to have a day to catch up on a million little jobs that needed attention. The wind had blown some tin loose on the calf shed, screws were falling out of the sheep house, a tree blew over along the field, and I was able to get the baler all cleaned off and greased up for the next hay day, which I hoped might be later Monday.
I don’t have much extra time these next few days with Crop Day, but I would like to get things rolled up. My brother has been a big help, but he is off on his annual golf trip this week. My next big job is getting some animals ready for the fair.
I think I settled on only taking two yearlings this year. I don’t want to quit, and this way I will still be able to participate. I am hoping that maybe the girls might find time to show, as it will be their last weekend at home before heading off for hockey and school. I will try to get crafty at some point and have a few things for the exhibition hall as well.
The Emo Fair is early again this year, but next year we will have a few more days! It makes me a bit sad that we are planning for the fair, as that means school will be going back and I will be losing my assistants, and fall is just around the corner. I think we can all agree that summer just passes by all too fast.
I am presenting this week to the Standing Committee on Bill 109, which is a strong bill that will benefit agriculture!
Also known as the Protecting Ontario’s Food Independence Act, 2026, it’s a wide‑ranging provincial bill. It would restrict foreign ownership of farmland, overhaul some agriculture and food‑safety statutes, dissolve the Normal Farm Practices Protection Board, modernize dairy and beef regulations, strengthen farmer payment protections, update veterinary oversight and convert the Ontario Food Terminal Board into a Crown agent.
I am excited to have the opportunity to talk about the benefits!
