The week of our annual soil and crop tour and open house has arrived. It is a bit of a bummer, though, because it is one of the signals that we are reaching the end of another growing season.
Following this is a rush to be ready for the Emo Fair and then, boom, it is fall! In fact, you already can see the colour starting to change throughout some of the cereal crops.
There is a good chance some of the earlier-planted grain will be ready to combine in the next couple of weeks.
Some producers have been bothered by the cereal army worm. Some have sprayed to get rid of the pests but others unfortunately have lost their entire crop because of these pests.
Like I have said so many times before, farming is tough. There are so many challenges no matter what you are growing (livestock or crops) before you are able to market your product.
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I spent a few days last week in Barrie, Ont., which really has grown since my last visit.
There were a lot of farmers at my meeting who were in tough shape. Many were on their last week of pasture and would have to start feeding hay–but many already were feeding hay.
I was happy to report that we were not quite as extreme as this but we were having a dry year.
They were wanting the Beef Farmers of Ontario to lobby our government about these conditions. I was in favour but also let them know that I think they should remember us, as well.
We have gone through some awfully dry or wet years, but our voice isn’t strong enough because of our numbers and this isn’t fair–it still is affecting our bottom lines no matter how many of us there are.
I was excited that our meeting was in Barrie because this allowed me to visit Destiny, a local girl who worked at the Emo Agricultural Research Station.
She is in her last year of nursing and doing great!
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We are still haying at home! My dad was able to finish baling all the hay on our own land while I was away. Finally, we’re in our last field and, of course, we have had some equipment troubles.
It is great to have friends who can diagnose the issues and my boyfriend/partner is now the head mechanic.
I always have a great goal of finishing a few weeks before the Emo Fair so we might be able to take a weekend off, but it looks like we will go from haying to working on our cattle for the fair.
I am so happy that Maddie and Marlee are really working hard with their own animals. Their heifers are walking very well (mine not so much) and we plan to pick up a couple cows/calves this next weekend.
That was on our list to do this past weekend but we ran out of time.
On Sunday, we were lucky to have a special guest out to the farm. Our cousin, Vienna, who lives in downtown Toronto, spent the afternoon with us.
Vienna loved the animals and was extremely brave. She is four years old and we all got such a kick out of her!
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
