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

CAAIN receives $50 million from Ottawa

The federal government is investing in Canadian agriculture through technological innovation

Bunge to Present at Barclays Annual Global Consumer Conference

Bunge Global SA (NYSE: BG) today announced that company management will participate in a fireside chat at the upcoming 2026 Barclays Annual Global Consumer Conference on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 3:00 p.m. ET. To listen to the live event, visit Bunge.com/events-and-presentations and click on the webcast link. A transcript and replay will be available for a limited time following the presentation. About Bunge At Bunge (NYSE: BG), our purpose is to connect farmers to consumers to deliver essential food, feed and fuel to the world. As a premier agribusiness solutions provider, our dedicated employees partner with farmers across the globe to move agricultural commodities from where they’re grown to where they’re needed—in faster, smarter, and more efficient ways. We are a world leader in grain origination, storage, distribution, oilseed processing and refining, offering a broad portfolio of plant-based oils, fats, and proteins. We work alongside our customers at both ends of the value chain

Bunge Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results

Bunge Global SA (NYSE: BG) today reported second quarter 2026 results Q2 GAAP diluted EPS of $3.47 vs. $2.61 in the prior year; $2.00 vs. $1.31 on an adjusted basis excluding certain gains/charges and mark-to-market timing differences Higher results primarily driven by strong performances in Soybean and Softseed Processing and Refining segments, supported by solid execution amid improving market conditions Repurchased ~$250 million of shares, completing the $2 billion program related to the Viterra transaction Increasing full-year adjusted EPS outlook range to $9.25 to $9.75 from $9.00 to $9.50 Overview Greg Heckman, Bunge’s Chief Executive Officer, commented: “Our team delivered another strong quarter, navigating a complex global environment with agility, focus and disciplined execution. Against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty and shifting trade flows, our expanded global platform did exactly what it was designed to do — capture opportunities and deliver for customers at both

U.S. livestock groups oppose proposed beef import plan

Four major U.S. agricultural and livestock organizations are urging President Donald Trump to reconsider a proposed plan that would allow additional beef imports over a 90-day period. The American Farm Bureau Federation, Livestock Marketing Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and United States Cattlemen’s Association said in a letter released August 25, 2026, that they are concerned the proposal could have negative implications for U.S. cattle producers and the broader livestock sector. The groups said they support efforts to keep food affordable for consumers but are calling on the administration to work with industry stakeholders on policies that balance affordability with long-term producer viability and domestic food production. In the letter, the organizations argued that increased imports could put pressure on cattle markets and influence producer decisions related to herd expansion and investment. They also expressed concerns about the potential impact on the l

Saskatchewan professor honoured for beef research contributions

University of Saskatchewan researcher Dr. Bart Lardner has received the 2026 Canadian Beef Industry Award for Outstanding Research and Innovation. Lardner, a professor in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources and chair of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture’s Strategic Research Program in Cow-Calf and Forage Systems, is being recognized for more than 20 years of research focused on beef cattle management and forage production. His work has examined areas including winter grazing, water quality, forage management and heifer development, helping producers improve profitability while managing production costs. “Dr. Lardner’s research has helped producers reduce costs while maintaining performance and profitability,” said Dean Manning, Chair of the Beef Cattle Research Council. Manning said Lardner’s commitment to ensuring producers benefit from research investments, while supporting the next generation of researchers, is widely respected. Lardner has also supervised more th

More…

Badges | Report an Issue | Terms of Service