EARS summer students are heading back to school

We have finished combining all our grain plots at EARS. Things went quite well for us—sure helps when the weather co-operates.
Some plots are mature more because of our dry conditions. All we have left to combine is soybeans and they are awhile away from being ready to go.
Unfortunately my students are nearly done—and heading back to school. We have had a great summer and I will miss them.
Dave will be heading back to Ottawa and Josh out to Olds Alberta.
Summer seemed to zoom by and even more so with this good weather!
• • •
If you had a chance to “Guess the Weight on Nutmeg” at the Rainy River Hereford Association booth at the Emo Fair, she weighed 1,336 lbs and Arend Wielinga of Emo was within five lbs. of that!
As well, Shelly Selman from Winnipeg chose to take $500 cash on the Hereford Association raffle.
The Rainy River District 4-H Association winners of the 4-H Steer draw were Kyle Hay and Michelle Anderson both of Emo.
Shirley Morrish had a seed count draw in her booth in the Farm Progress Building. She had a jar of barley with 8,837 seeds in it and Pat Hyatt of Devlin guessed 8,765.
She also had a jar of canola with 45,574 seeds and Tom Robinson of Thunder Bay guessed 45,012.
Both will receive prizes for the Rainy River Rural Farm Safety Association.
Shirley had us use our new seed counter to count the seeds for this.
• • •
All 28 4-H Steers were able to be butchered on Monday following the fair at the Rainy River Regional Abattoir. Marg, staff, and a bunch of great volunteers did a wonderful job of getting a very big job done early that afternoon; a new record for the abattoir.
Anna Egli, the meat inspector), welcomed us to view the carcasses the following evening and explained the grading system and also dissected a liver showing us liver flukes—a large problem in the Rainy River District.
Out of the 28 steers, only six had good livers.
This is something the Rainy River Cattlemen’s have been pushing Ontario Cattlemen’s to consider doing a research project here since it is a valid problem here in the North.
• • •
The Rainy River Cattlemen’s had a very successful sale over the weekend.
We saw some excellent prices and some new buyers at the Stratton Sales Barn. We sold nearly 1,000 animals and the average across the board was over $900 per animal.
I think everyone left happy—I know the office staff was pleased to be done early and a perfectly balanced sale.
Slowly, we are getting things upgraded and running smoothly.
Thanks to everyone that supports us either by bringing cattle, buying cattle and working at the barn.
We have a great bunch of people around there and it sure makes for a good time and a big job a lot easier.
Our next sale is Oct. 1, and we are expecting it to be a big one.

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