Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

It's Official - I'm Now a Farmer.

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: 53

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

Ag in the House: April 13 – 17

Canada is attracting billions of dollars in foreign investment, the minister said

Poll shows Canadians support supply management

More than 70 per cent of Canadians voiced some level of support

Sharing Your Story, Growing Our Reach

Alberta Canola has been hard at work championing growers, strengthening agriculture literacy, and building connections across the province. Here’s what we’ve been up to and what’s ahead. STAMPEDE SEASON: SADDLED UP FOR ANOTHER YEAR With the Calgary Stampede fast approaching, July 3 to 12, 2026, our team is gearing up to welcome thousands of visitors to our now two-year-old interactive booth in the AltaLink Hall. This walkthrough exhibit continues to be a favourite among families, food lovers, and international guests, offering a hands-on, friendly space to explore canola’s journey from seed to table. Calgary Stampede remains one of our strongest platforms for meaningful conversation. Visitors are eager to understand how their food is grown, and they’re often surprised and impressed to hear directly from Alberta growers. In an age of swirling misinformation, your stories matter more than ever. By meeting people with empathy and clear, simple facts, we can counter myths while building

New Research Funding for 2025-2026

As the 2026-27 call for research Letters of Intent are well underway, Alberta Canola wraps up signing agreements from the 2025-26 cycle. A total of 16 Full Proposals were accepted for funding by Alberta Canola, totaling over $1.42 million. This level of funding was possible due to the collaborative efforts of SaskOilseeds, Manitoba Canola Growers Association, Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF), Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR), Alberta Innovates, Alberta Grains, and Prairie Oat Growers Association, as the projects’ total costs were $5.83 million. “Targeted research investments today are building a more resilient canola crop for tomorrow.” Canola diseases remain a top priority for canola growers and consequently received the most funding, just under $1 million. The 10 disease projects include clubroot, verticillium, and sclerotinia with an emphasis on genetic and agronomic advancements. Additional high level research priorities including abiotic stresses, weeds, nutri

Hello Canola: Growing Momentum, Growing Connections

As another growing season begins, Alberta Canola is excited to share how the National Canola Marketing Program (NCMP) is continuing to build nationwide consumer trust, one upbeat touchpoint at a time. Now in Year 3, the Hello Canola campaign is stronger than ever, connecting with urban millennial Canadians and shining a bright spotlight on one of Canada’s most important crops. WHY THIS CAMPAIGN MATTERS FOR GROWERS Hello Canola isn’t just a fun, friendly marketing effort, it’s a strategic investment in long-term consumer confidence. By meeting Canadians where they spend their time and speaking in the language and formats they prefer, this campaign helps shift public perception from “I’ve heard of canola” to “I’m proud to choose Canadian canola.” Every positive impression contributes to stronger trust in the crop you grow, strengthens our domestic market, and boosts long term demand. CAMPAIGN PERFORMANCE THAT TURNS HEADS So far, this year’s paid media performance is turning out to be

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service