Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

So I think its official – I’m a real farmer. Now there was no certificate or degree from Guelph. No big ceremony or letter stating I was now accepted to the farming profession. I’ve decided I’m a real farmer because of one innocent thought. People told me I would have these thoughts, they warned me to expect them. I always shrugged those naysayers off saying I would not be like other farmers. But then it happened, just like it was suppose to. We were baling hay late yesterday afternoon. The third cut crop had been sitting in the field for about a week trying to dry through showers and rain storms. We finally got a 3 day string of sun and took advantage of it. The big square baler quickly going up and down the rows followed shortly by my grandfather and I picking those bales up to take to the barn. One load turned into two; two to three; three to six; and we kept taking them off. Then it happened. I thought it was too bad we had such a good hay crop because it was proving difficult to get it all into the barn.

Why do we do that? Turn something that we hope and pray for into a negative? Jokes have been made about these thoughts, the ones where nothing can ever prove good enough for a farmer. Dennis Hull talks about the guy who complains that a good grain crop is tough on his machinery. I joke about the farmer I golfed with who got a hole in one and complained because he could have used the putting practice. It really is a funny phenomenon when you think about it, but I continue to be intrigued about it. I’m hoping we can have some fun with this. What positive thing have you turned to a 'too bad...?' Don't be shy, post a comment and let me know.

Views: 58

Comment

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

Join Ontario Agriculture

Comment by Wayne Black on August 28, 2009 at 5:02am
Not everyone does it. I think it is all in your outlook on life. On the flip side we always try to see the good in a bad situation. Like the fella who was in a tractor accident. While in surgery they found a tumour that was never found before.
I have a theory that people who listen to country music generally are negative. (I have a tear in my beer...). While pop music is generally upbeat and positive (tonight is going to be a good night - Black Eyed Peas).
Comment by Andrew Campbell on August 27, 2009 at 4:32am
I think a lot of Canadians are like that - I just think farmers are better at it. Partly because of all the elements that are out of their control.

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

Canadian Innovation Aims to Transform Nitrogen Fertilizers While Eliminating Microplastics

A British Columbia ag-tech company is developing a biodegradable fertilizer coating that could help farmers use less nitrogen, reduce input costs, and eliminate microplastics from controlled-release fertilizers

Ag at the Canada Investment Summit

Multiple provincial governments are pitching projects related to ag

All Wheat Output Seen Down Nearly 11%

Canada’s wheat production will fall from a year ago as both harvested area and average yields decline, according to Statistics Canada’s first production estimate for 2026. Statistics Canada on Wednesday estimated 2026 national all-wheat production at 36.122 million tonnes, down 10.9% from the upwardly revised 2025 crop of 40.562 million tonnes. Despite the year-over-year decline, the projected crop would remain historically large, exceeding production in every year since 2010 except 2013 and 2025. The estimate was close to Agriculture Canada's August supply-demand forecast of 36.271 million. For 2025, the all wheat production estimate was bumped up from the previous view of 39.955 million. The 2026 national average all wheat yield is forecast at 53.6 bu/acre, down 5.6% from the record 56.8 bu last year. The 2026 yield would nevertheless remain above the recent five-year average, reflecting generally favourable growing conditions through much of the growing season. Lower acreage

Sept. 22 training workshop targets mental health in Kansas

A Kansas State University official says an upcoming training session available to Kansans will help to address a concerning trend in mental health and resilience to stress in communities across the state. Tawnie Larson, a program manager for the Kansas Agriculture Safety and Health program at K-State, said 20 spots are open for an online train-the-trainer workshop called Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory, or COMET. The session is planned for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (CST) on Sept. 22. Registration is available online. It is being hosted by K-State Extension’s Stress and Resiliency Transdisciplinary team. “The training,” she said, “is aimed at expanding the number of trusted community members equipped to recognize mental health concerns and connect people with help.” The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reports that adult mental illness affects about 1 in 5 Kansans. The need is disproportionate in rural areas, where an estimated 27% of adults experience mental illness

Rotating crops this fall can set garden up for success next spring

This is the gardener’s mantra: Success requires planning. “To give your plants a healthy start next year,” says Kansas State University horticulture expert Matt McKernan, “the best practice is to rotate crops within the same family to a different location than where they’re growing this year.” Crop rotation offers several benefits, according to McKernan. “Plants in the same family are typically susceptible to similar pests,” he said. “Some pests overwinter in the soil; some are able to survive on plant debris. If the same host is available when the pests emerge in the spring, they will be able to continue feeding, and multiply the problem. Crop rotation breaks the cycle of these pests.” McKernan added that plants in the same family also have similar nutrient requirements, so rotating crops prevents the soil from becoming depleted of those nutrients. “And, the varied root system depths from one plant family to the next contributes to the health of the soil,” he said. “Now is the pe

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service