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: 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

Canadian Grain Commission Updates Grain Grading Rules for 2026-27 Crop Year

Beginning August 1, the Canadian Grain Commission will implement updated grading procedures for wheat, amber durum and red lentils.

Cattle industry stakeholders asked to take Canfax survey

Canfax plans to use the input to modernize its offerings

A California farmer is giving away tons of nectarines that he’s not allowed to sell

Thousands of visitors have flocked to Cesar Mora’s farm in central California this week to gather free nectarines. He’s giving his harvest away rather than watching it rot as he’s locked in a legal battle with a company that claims exclusive rights over the variety of white nectarine he grows. He’s shared more than 100,000 pounds (45,359 kilograms) since Monday. “It was really just a thought of not wasting a perfectly good product,” Mora said. “It does make a grower feel good, being able to share my fruit with people and see their immediate reaction that they love it. It’s a little bit of good in this tough situation that I’ve been dealing with.” The legal dispute highlights the tension that can emerge between farmers and the plant breeders and large industrial food marketers that create new varieties of plants and obtain the exclusive rights to sell them. Since 2023, the third-generation farmer in the agricultural community of Reedley in California’s Central Valley has been fighti

Big decisions put many farmers in same boat

There’s a lot of sweating, swatting, squinting — and quite possibly a little swearing — in Manitoba farmyards and fields this summer, as farmers navigate what’s turned into a hellish growing season. Anyone required to work outdoors in the heat and humidity must also suffer through the relentless swarms of voracious mosquitoes and flies brought on by the recent wet weather. The biting insect populations are unlike anything we’ve seen in recent years and they’re making outside life miserable for humans and livestock alike. It adds another layer to the frustration in a season when it seems nothing is going well. With each twist and turn, the “so now what?” questions keep piling up. Just getting around the farm or to town for supplies is a chore with roads and bridges washed out in some areas. And the weather alerts just keep coming — warnings of tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and more heavy rain. Even if fields haven’t been drowned out by the heavy downpours, it’s been difficult, if

Wheat Growers Call for New Thinking on Canada’s Wheat Breeding System

The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association is encouraging a national conversation about the future of Canada’s wheat breeding system with the publication of a new opinion article by Executive Director Darcy Pawlik in RealAgriculture. Titled “The Problem Isn’t the Cuts. It’s the System.”, the article argues that the discussion surrounding Canada’s public wheat breeding capacity should move beyond annual budget decisions and instead focus on creating a long-term delivery model that strengthens innovation, competitiveness and farmer outcomes. “The conversation has become centred on budget reductions, but that’s treating the symptom rather than the underlying issue,” said Pawlik. “The real opportunity is to ask whether Canada’s breeding system is structured to deliver the greatest possible value for farmers over the next fifty years.” The article highlights successful international approaches, including the United States, Australia and Europe, noting that while each has developed di

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service