Last week I was in Owen Sound for the Ontario Cattlemen’s summer meeting and we actually met with the board and staff from the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, as well.
We are dry here in Rainy River, but things were even worse there. For the most part, the entire province is very dry.
Our pastures look incredible compared to what I had seen while travelling. Many have weaned calves and sold cows while others already are feeding hay–in hopes of finding more hay (but it is in very short supply and the dairy operations quickly are buying up any spare feed).
One of my friends had a dairy farmer approach him asking him to buy all of his hay! But he told him he needed every bale (and likely more) to feed his own cows.
The dairy farmer said, “Well, let me buy your cows and hay,” and then he would just turn around and sell the cows.
Normally I find these meetings somewhat refreshing, and I usually come back feeling very pleased about being involved in this industry.
Alas, not so this time. I left home feeling down about things and I certainly didn’t come back feeling a whole lot better. Corn prices are reaching all-time highs and with the Midwest U.S. burning up, it is not likely to stop climbing anytime soon.
Many at the meeting were saying, “We need rain, but it’s even more important the Midwest receive it.” But I’m hearing that it might be too late even if the rain did come at this point.
They are predicting that cattle prices will rise and fall, but likely will stay strong at least until the end of the year. If the feedlot producers cannot afford corn, however, it certainly will impact our calf prices this fall.
On a more positive note, I attended the Bruce Cattlemen’s county barbecue, where they served beef to more than 1,200 people. The community supports this event annually and looks forward to it each year.
Of course, my travel luck continues and I was a day late getting home because of flight delays!
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My friend, Becky, and her boyfriend, John, took my boyfriend/partner and me out on the U.S. side of Rainy Lake on Sunday afternoon.
What a wonderful tour we had. Voyageurs National Park is beautiful! We enjoyed some of the gold mining history on the islands, and we certainly enjoyed how well things are marked and kept.
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A reminder that the annual open house at the Emo Agricultural Research Station (EARS) goes tomorrow (July 26) at 7 p.m. Hope you are able to join us for a tour and refreshments.
If you are able to attend, the local soil and crop tour will start at 10 a.m. tomorrow. We will meet here at EARS and then head west.
If you have any questions, get in touch with me (and remember to bring along your own lunch).
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