Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Those Weathered Boards Remind Me - A Poem By J.P. Marentette

I consider myself lucky to have grown up on a farm near Comber, Ontario. I am now an elementary school teacher at Jack Miner Public School in the town of Kingsville, Ontario. Although teaching is now my profession, I have many fond
memories of life on the farm. About five years ago, I wrote a poem about the old barn that is still standing on our family farm. I regret that I was not able to share it with my father, Wilfrid Marentette, before he passed away at the age of 93. My father was a lifetime farmer and the barn was an important part of his life. The farm was worked by my brother Norman, who has since retired. Today, the land is rented out and the barn stands mostly empty. I am sure there are many people that can relate to the sentiments expressed in the poem that is titled, “Those Weathered Boards Remind Me.” I hope that it will bring enjoyment to many readers and perhaps even bring back special memories of their own.

                   Those Weathered Boards Remind Me

 

Out in the country                                          

South off Highway 2

Half a mile down a side road

A farm comes into view 

There stands the homestead

The place where I was raised

And the old barn that’s still standing there

Really shows its age 

The boards are worn and weathered

Time seems to have a way

Walls, once a brilliant red

Are faded now to grey 

To a person from the city

Or a stranger driving passed

The barn has little meaning

A mere relic from the past 

In this barn Dad made a living

As milk flowed from the cows

And the sweat of many a man

Raised hay into the mows 

Though I was just a little boy

When the milking chores were done

As years went by and I grew older

It was a place for fun 

With ropes for swinging, beams to climb

And forts built in the hay

Days spent in this rural playground

I treasure to this day 

And the one day from my childhood

That stands out most of all

Was the day Dad bought my pony, “Prince”

And helping to prepare his stall 

The barn stands mostly empty now

No chores are done today

There are no men hard at work

Or children as they play 

The weathered boards are still standing

Sometimes, when I close my eyes

Scenes from the past flood my mind

And it’s then that I realize 

To most who see it, it’s just an old barn

Of its value, they have no measure

But these scenes are a part of our family’s story

And it’s these scenes I’ll always treasure

By: J.P. Marentette

Views: 1001

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Comment by OntAG Admin on March 23, 2013 at 3:47pm

Nice poem.

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Increased U.S. Refinery Exemptions May Have Implications for Canola

The American Soybean Association (ASA) is warning that a sharp increase in small refinery exemptions under the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard could significantly weaken domestic soybean oil demand, with potential implications extending into the canola market. In a new release Tuesday, ASA said recent reports suggest exemptions for the 2025 RFS compliance year could exceed 1.8 billion Renewable Identification Number credits under a revised methodology now being considered. That would be nearly double the level the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency assumed when it finalized its 2026-27 Renewable Volume Obligation rule. The ASA said such a large increase in exemptions could wipe out roughly 500 million gallons of biomass-based diesel demand and cost U.S. soybean farmers about US$1 billion in lost revenue. The issue is important for Canadian canola markets because Chicago soyoil prices are widely regarded as a leading price driver and directional indicator for canola oil and canola

Spring Wheat Harvest Accelerates Past Halfway Mark

The U.S. spring wheat harvest accelerated sharply this past week, while crop condition ratings slipped slightly. Monday’s USDA crop progress report pegged the national spring wheat harvest at 62% complete as of Sunday, up 21 points from a week earlier. Progress was also well ahead of the 51% harvested at the same point last year and the five-year average of 52%. South Dakota remained furthest along, with 91% of its spring wheat crop harvested, up from 81% a week earlier and ahead of the 85% average. Minnesota reached 78% complete, up from 63%. North Dakota, the largest U.S. spring wheat-producing state, made strong progress as well, with 56% of the crop harvested, up from 37% the previous week and ahead of the five-year average of 40%. Montana harvest reached 55%, nearly doubling from 28% a week earlier, although progress remained slightly behind the 60% average. Meanwhile, national spring wheat condition ratings weakened modestly. The USDA rated 51% of the crop good to excellent

Manitoba Harvest Reaches 4% as Drier Weather Helps Fieldwork

Manitoba’s harvest advanced over the past week as drier conditions allowed producers to make progress in winter cereals, peas and early spring grains, although activity remains limited in several regions. Tuesday's weekly crop report showed about 4% of the province’s major crops had been harvested as of Monday. The Central region was furthest along at 9%, followed by the Eastern region at 5%. The Southwest and Interlake were each 2% complete, while the Northwest was at just 1%. Winter wheat and fall rye harvest were each 66% complete provincially. Progress reached 99% in the Central region, while winter wheat was 95% harvested in the Eastern region. Spring wheat, barley and oats were each 7% harvested across Manitoba, while field pea harvest had reached 24%. Canola harvest was just getting underway at 2%, concentrated in the Central region. Crop development continues to advance toward maturity. Spring cereals are generally in the hard dough stage or moving into harvest, with desi

Canadian crops depend on honey bees, but disease and environmental stressors are putting them at risk

Honey bees may be best known for making honey, but they also play a vital role in Canadian agriculture, acting as pollinators for important crops like hybrid canola, sunflowers and berries. Their work supports billions of dollars in agricultural production and economic activity each year. The health of the Western honey bee (Apis Mellifera) is under threat from disease and many environmental stressors, including a rapidly changing climate.  Dr. Nuria Morfin, assistant professor in entomology in the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, has been awarded a new Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Discovery Grant to study how the community of microbes interact with the honey bee to cause disease.  “It’s estimated that honey bee colonies contribute about $7 billion annually to the Canadian economy through pollinating important crops like hybrid canola,” says Morfin. “We need to better understand how stressors interact and affect honey bee health and productivit

Canada announces retaliatory tariffs against the U.S.

The trade war between Canada and the U.S. continues to escalate.

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service