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Friday, February 7, 2014

I Need To Stop Reading The News

Really, news stories like  this one about a truckload of frozen dead coyotes  spotted in downtown Saskatoon recently. True enough, the driver made a poor choice to leave the load uncovered, knowing how it might offend the delicate sensibilities of some city dwellers. But then the comments turned into an arena for farmer bashing. Ranting on about spoiled rich farmers in their $75,000 pickups who spend most of their year on holidays and the rest of it shooting defenseless wildlife. Yes, it was just that crazy. Trolls no doubt account for some of those inane comments but I think there are also a few normally sensible people out there who just don't have a clue about life outside the city and off pavement, how and where their food comes from. And the ever decreasing number of us who are willing to put up with all the B.S. that is dragging farming down from the life style it used to be.
Don't believe me??? Well here is another site I always come away from feeling a little hopeless lately. Agriville is a discussion forum of mostly Sask. farmers. Younger and smarter than me when it comes to growing and marketing grain. The common theme there lately seems to me that we are finshed, Grain production in central Canada is no longer a viable option since the railways are unable or unwilling to move the grain to ports which apparently is why the price is so low here right now. That is a serious problem in a land-locked province like Sask.
Crop prices have been in a downward spiral since harvest and grain movement seems to be at a standstill. Diesel fuel has taken quite a jump up in price. Fertilizer, while cheaper than it was last spring, is now increasing steadily in price.
On the positive side, farm land prices are higher than they have ever been and outside "investors" are beating down the doors to buy our land. So there you have it.
In other news, the lazy farmer has snow. A little unusual for them.
Looking back in history to late 1972, from the old black and white photo album , hard at work on a new shed.

4 comments:

  1. The world will someday wonder why there is no food, but of course, they'll still blame the farmer.

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  2. When I saw the article about the coyotes my first thought was how unstable the load was, how easily the driver could lose a few carcasses on the road. It would have taken a moment to ensure the load was securely in place, covering (for me) wasn't the issue. City folks and their weak stomachs. In small towns where many survive on the results of a good hunt, it often doesn't get a bat of an eye. It would be discouraging to know that farming isn't valued as it used to be, there are too many stereotypes that are false out there and as Gorges said, I agree - one day we won't have real food and people would go "why?" And not have a clue on the reasons why. Grrr....

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  3. Ralph, that post was from me - Bev M. It said to click post and it would allow me to sign my name, but went straight to post. So I didn't want to leave you wondering who it was that posted.

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  4. I was pretty sure it was you Bev. Thanks for reading and commenting.

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