Lessons In Farming

I'm a young farmer. I can say that now - especially since just a couple of weeks ago we moved out to one of our family farms. This is a house my great-grandfather built in the early 1900's, and is the farm where the dry cows and heifers are kept. My mom and dad are a few kilometres away at the farm I grew up in - where the milking cows are.

As I get settled on the farm, I thought I'd share some of my experiences. Along the way I'd invite any and all pieces of advice I can get - as I start my farming career.

Putting a live racoon trap in the barn is easy. Catching a racoon instead of a cat is much, much harder. All summer there was an influx of racoons around the farm so it is no surprise that a few have found their way into the warmth of the barn. I know there is at least one around, I saw him scurry away one night into the mow.

When you have a heated water bowl, test it before you need it. There are three water bowls that need to stay thawed out in order for all animals to have access to water. When we flipped the switch to all three - do you think any of them worked? Of course not. Luckily our electrician is a beef farmer and understands the urgency - so there is no need to run out with boiling water and hot towels. So far.

The idea that renovations takes twice as long as you expect them to is a lie. They take much longer. I'll leave it at that until we finish what will become the office.

I know that it may sound like I'm complaining -- I'm really not. It is great to be out of the city and onto the farm. City life is not for me, and I'm grateful to be here.

And if anyone has any tricks to catching a coon instead of a cat - I'm open to all ideas.

Comment

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

Join Ontario Agriculture

Comment by littlelamb on February 2, 2010 at 8:21am: Ahhh, the joys of farming...

Comment by Andrew Campbell on February 2, 2010 at 5:09am: You'll be happy to know I did catch him! I also caught a skunk though - so have taken a break from catching anything. The skunk was enough excitement for a while.

Comment by littlelamb on February 2, 2010 at 5:00am: We use peanut butter in the trap and got a coon. Not sure if the cats aren't attracted to it or not, but that day it worked for us. Now unless the three previous attempts caught my barn cat and he finally figured NOT to go in it and it was just luck or if the peanut butter worked. :)

Comment by Andrew Campbell on December 21, 2009 at 2:25am: The latest update is that after catching the same cat three times - he seems to have learned his lesson. Still no racoon though. May try moving the trap to a different spot.

Comment by rein minnema on December 18, 2009 at 12:07pm: Congratulation and good luck Andrew,
life is a learning curve, it will all fall in place.

Comment by Wayne Black on December 17, 2009 at 9:08am: The cat will not come back after you leave him in the trap for a few hours - unless it is domesticated (as compared to a "barn cat").
We used dog food (or cat food) and it was very successful... until the squirrel found out about it. the squirrel not only gets out, but it does come back.
Just leave a bit of cat food and as long as the same cat does not come back three times, you are good to go.

RSS

Welcome to
Ontario Agriculture

Sign Up
or Sign In

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

North American Farm Groups Unite to Strengthen USMCA/CUSMA Ahead of 2026 Review

Farm organizations across North America are urging governments to reinforce CUSMA/USMCA, warning that stability in cross-border trade is essential to producers in all three countries.

US Cuts Tariffs on Agricultural Machinery to 15% - What It Means for Farmers

The U.S. is reducing tariffs on farm equipment imports, a move expected to ease cost pressures for farmers and support equipment investment.

Farmer wellness initiative offers support across Ontario

The mental health of Ontario farmers is receiving greater attention through the Farmer Wellness Initiative, a program designed to support the well-being of farmers, farm workers, and their families across the province. Operated through Agriculture Wellness Ontario, the initiative offers free and unlimited counselling services tailored specifically to the agricultural community. Farming is often described as more than just a career; it is a lifestyle that comes with long hours, financial uncertainty, unpredictable weather, and emotional stress. Recognizing these challenges, the Farmer Wellness Initiative provides access to trained mental health professionals who understand the realities of agricultural life. Support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through a confidential helpline. The program is open to Ontario farmers, farm employees, international agricultural workers, and family members over the age of 16. Youth between 12 and 15 years old may also access services wi

Ontario's pitch to expand northern farming sparks questions from farmers, food security experts

Ontario is pitching its plan to expand agriculture in the north and restrict foreign ownership of farmland as a way to strengthen food security and protect farmers. But some farmers, researchers and environmental advocates say the proposed legislation leaves unanswered questions about land ownership, affordability and whether more production would improve food access in the north. The province introduced the Protecting Ontario’s Food Independence Act, 2026 on April 22. The bill would limit foreign ownership of farmland and “unlock” agricultural potential in the Clay Belt — a region of fertile soil in northeastern Ontario and northwestern Quebec covering 180,000 square kilometres. In a statement to CBC News, the Ministry of Northern Economic Development and Growth said expanding agricultural access in the Clay Belt would help farmers grow their businesses, create jobs, increase local production and strengthen domestic supply chains. Province says Clay Belt offers growth opportunity

Rapid seeding progress made in some areas of the province

Farmers are dealt with all kinds of weather conditions this spring. The mixed precipitation in late-April, subsequent rainfall, and the recent heat wave resulted in producers beginning seeding operations one week or more later than normal. Jeremy Welter farms in the Kerrobert area in west-central Saskatchewan and is also a Vice-President with the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS). He said while the warm weather allowed them to catch up, it did provide a challenge to equipment. "The high temperature did certainly help to dry land out so the guys could get on it. That being said, those really hot days, they add a lot of stress to your machinery," he said. "You really notice it when you get out of the tractor. Even on a cool day, the tractor's blowing a lot of warm air off of it, but on those plus 35 days that temperature is as hard on equipment as it is on people, so it definitely creates additional challenges." In the Kerrobert area, they're about a week to

More…

Badges | Report an Issue | Terms of Service