Finally got some grain in June 3

Field wasn?t anymore than fit, and darn near had to walk home, while doing the first round, but I got through. 22 acres planted, and hay under seeded. Never got much above 50F today and crazy strong North winds. Even with a coat, I near froze.

That?s a nice canopy on there Bruce! It?s been one backwards spring here too,most farms near here are barely if even at the 1/2 way mark planting. To think that theoretically a smart dairyman would be starting first cut here now but most any field here you could easily cut with a lawn mower. How many acres are you planting ? Are you under seeding with alfalfa?

Bruce finally you had a no rain day, now just some warm days to make the crops grow. We were not as lucky in eastern Ontario as it rained over night and cold north wind and showers all day.

Backwards is the word for this spring for sure. Hay here isn?t very tall either, just don?t think there has been enough heat to make it grow. While it isn?t a regular concern here, last winter alfalfa killed out big time in many fields, and this will hurt yields too. I am under seeding 40% alfalfa 40% red clover 20% Timothy. So this will be a mostly red clover field next year, then Alfalfa/Timothy mix for a couple years after that.

Where are you located in eastern Ontario Jimb2? Genevieve and I took a drive Sunday, wanted to take a look at the Arnprior, Renfrew, Perth area. Some nice looking land I pockets in that area. Took a look at the Ottawa River, so naturally we could glance across to Quebec. Took Hwy 7 going east and Hwy 132/28 coming back. And if you like to see rock and trees, then this is the route to go. We drove over 500 miles , and it was surprising how much better our farm looked when we got home from driving through miles and miles of bush.

I see by your tires that you are not raising much dust! Every crop around here has been planted in tough damp conditions. At least it's easier on the air filters...lol

Ben

The guy next to me was out pulling up muddy chunks of soil with his soil saver last night. He'll probably be out this morning with his field cultivator and planter trying to go through that mess.

How far east did you come on Hwy 7 I live just west of Carleton Place off of 7 . If you went further easet on Sunday evening you could of seen the tornado in Cumberlad area.

Bruce, I live in the east end of Ottawa about 3 miles west of where the tornado was. I grew up on the family farm in western Lanark County about 10 miles north of Hwy 7 at Maberly and 22 miles north west of Perth. My younger brother and wife operate the farm now. No more dairy since 2005, some beef cattle, hay, oats, maple syrup and firewood. Lots of rock, stones and hills. Only a few true farmers left in his area, Toronto people are retiring and buying up the farms. I still enjoy disking and helping with major mechanical repairs.
There are good farms around Perth, Carleton Place, Almonte and both sides of the Ottawa River. Not many doing dairy anymore mostly beans and corn. Unfortunately several of the good farms around the City of Ottawa have become housing developments.
My wife has cousins in the Peterborough and Lindsay areas, we are hoping to visit them this summer so maybe we could arrange a hello to you and Genevieve at the same time.
How far are you from Lindsay?

Did go through Carleton Place , Mississippi Mills, and Pakenham , on the way to Arnprior. We have friends that are selling their dairy here and moving to the Haley Station area, not far from Cobden . We were curious about the country side. Looks like the rock could be real close to the surface in some places, and the land , much of it is quite flat. So I am guessing drainage could be a issue sometimes. The tornado made the news, just as happy not to have been there for that.

Hey Jim, a visit would be welcome. Have to arrange in advance, to be sure we are home. We are west of Lindsay about 20 miles, more or less. If you looked at a map, and followed Hwy 7 west out of Lindsay to Hwy 46, then 5 miles north to Woodville. Our home farm actually boarders on the south side of the village of Woodville. I remember going past Maberly while driving on 7. It is true, people with a few extra bucks, that no longer have to live near Toronto, are scrambling to get away. I know Toronto quite well, and the constant waves of immigration have and are changing the population base and culture of the city of Toronto.. I don?t know how to say this without being branded a racist, but while east on our little trip, we became very aware of the lack of folks that would be called visible minority. When we go into the big smoke, I am a visible minority, ha ha.
One thing that has become much more common everywhere, is the change in farming. As you mentioned about less Dairy and more corn and soybeans. Just fewer, but bigger Dairy farms. And big dairy means total confinement, and requires high quality land to grow big crops of forage. And it just doesn?t work well on farms with more hills, and thin top soil. On a farm with some hills, you can pasture milk cows on the slopes, and crop the level. Works well with 30-40 cows. Not going to happen with 100-250 cows. And I am seeing this transition around me too. Hard to find anyone that wants to work that hard anymore.

Bruce, it would be great to meet you both, it probably will be later in the summer but I will give you plenty of notice. Some of my wife's cousins were dairy but switched to cash crops many years ago.
JimB

Should have stopped in at my work . I am the service manager at M&P Farm Equipment on hwy 29 between Carleton Place and Almonte.
You could have drove home a nice green or red tractor.I'm sure I could have talked the owner in to taking one of your 30 series Case in on trade. I have always wanted one of those.
We do grow an excellent crop of Lanark County rock. Sold by the ton or truck load. No shortage ,even in wet years the stone crop gets better.

I did see that dealership, but of course my wife doesn?t like me getting that close to equipment dealers unless it is Sunday, and they are closed. I also spied the Orange tractor dealership over near Cobden. You know them tractors from the land of the rising sun.

I know excatly what you mean ,My wife doesn't let me too close too here on Sundays either. She figures that Im here more than at home .. Last year when we went to Arizona for vacation , she had a place picked out for us to stay at. But when I google mapped it and found out there was a scrap yard across the road with old tractors and trucks in it, she cancelled the room and moved us 50 miles away. It's not like I was going to buy some thing and bring it home on the plane! Maybe put some fresh fuel in it and drive it home.
Next tiome your going by during the week stop by for chat or coffee.