Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

The "slow" pace of winter months has been keeping me exceedingly busy lately.  Between getting paper work in order for tax time, learning and repairing my new to me grain header, general repairs and maintenance I must find time to work a full time job.  With todays warm weather it was like torture to read the odd tweet about other farmers using the good weather to get equipment ready.  To make maters worse, the plant lost its computer network today, so it was a bit slow at times, those times I could have repaired the fuel leak on the tractor, but couldn't.

So this is when I scale back my grand plans to something more realistic under the heavy constraint of lost hours to another job.  I need only concentrate on what must get done, a few weeks of work that must be done before I start to word the ground for spring planting.  

I still have some room for a few more varieties of corn and soybeans, which will undoubtedly be very last minute, but my plans are in good shape otherwise.  The late fall and warm weather has made a few things easier, but waiting for a good frost to get the driveway solid for trucking out grain has resulted in half last years crop still on the farm.  The plus side, prices are making it worth my wait, at least until the next farm report comes out and makes some unrealistic claim to help all those funds who shorted grain and stand to loss big $$$.  

But to ease my troubles, I booked a day off.  So will I get all that maintenance done tomorrow?  No.   I will be off to the London Farm Show.  Its easy to get caught up or overwhelmed, but you still need to dream, and what better place than a big show with lots of overpriced - oversized equipment.  

My tweets with social media have made me a few...well friends, over the past months, and I expect to finally shake a few of their hands at the show.  One way or another I am going to have a good time.

Views: 178

Comment

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

Join Ontario Agriculture

Comment by Joe Dales on March 21, 2012 at 1:10pm

Hi Gus,  Everyone seems to have to juggle different responsibilities, especially during the spring and fall..nice article.  It was nice to meet you at the London Farm Show.

Have a safe spring planting season.

Take care,

Joe Dales

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

Ottawa unveils National Food Security Strategy

The 10-year plan is designed to support farmers and lower grocery costs

Markets Slip as Corn Hits New Lows While Wheat Shows Strength

The podcast highlights falling corn prices, stable wheat demand, weak crude oil, and upcoming weather risks. Experts suggest current conditions may create buying opportunities for livestock farmers and long term investors.

Canadian Firm Buhler Versatile Buys ATLAS Group Assets

Buhler Versatile has finalized an agreement to acquire Germany’s ATLAS Group, a strategic move expected to preserve jobs, ensure business continuity, and expand its global market.

ABP Working Groups address key issues

From traceability to trade structure, coal mining to wildlife conflict, ABP has active working groups on four of the most important files facing Alberta beef producers. Here are updates from each of the groups: Traceability Following the direction of resolutions carried by delegates at the 2026 Annual General Meeting, ABP’s board is forming a dedicated Traceability Working Group. The working group will examine traceability closely, with the objective of providing producer-driven feedback and solutions that reflect on-the-ground realities across Alberta’s beef sector. Members of the working group are being finalized, and will include representatives from ABP’s executive, directors and delegates; partner cattle organizations; and groups such as the Government of Alberta. The working group will be supported by a dedicated facilitator to maintain clear timelines, while also ensuring issues are thoroughly examined. The goal is to develop realistic, workable recommendations to present t

What drives the true cost of forage production?

New COP Network benchmarks reveal what drives forage production costs in Canadian cow-calf operations, from hay and silage to greenfeed, and where producers can improve efficiency. Forage is the backbone of every cow-calf operation — but how much does it really cost to grow? While feed is often viewed as a “homegrown” input, the reality is that forage production can make or break cost competitiveness, especially as input costs continue to rise. Data from the Canadian Cow-calf Cost of Production Network show wide differences in the cost of producing forages such as hay, corn silage, corn for grazing, cereal silage, and greenfeed. But the real insight isn’t just what those costs are, it’s why they differ from farm to farm. Forage costs vary, management matters This analysis includes data from 59 COP Network benchmark farms from 2020 to 2024, covering five major forage types — hay, corn silage, corn for grazing, cereal silage, and greenfeed. Hay remains the dominant forage on Canadia

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service