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

Massey Ferguson Planters Focus on Precision, Flexibility and Long-Term Efficiency

Massey Ferguson planters are designed to improve crop establishment through precise seed placement, advanced planting technologies and a flexible, field-proven platform.

6 ways to protect your farm’s data

Safety protocols for technology on the farm deserve the same amount of attention as the safety protocols you have in place for operating farm machinery. Information in this technology footprint is vast and growing. Private details, such as banking and financial information and employees’ personal details, are examples of digital farm data that are crucial to running your operation and are meant to be accessible to a select few. As the use of technology on the farm increases, the amount of information grows. Malicious software, called malware, can infiltrate your computer or smartphone through viruses or spyware, damaging files and stealing information. Sometimes, those behind the infiltration will lock owners out of the computer, encrypt files and hold access for ransom. Cyber defence experts say farms, like many small and medium-sized businesses that use devices such as mobile phones and laptops for both personal and business purposes, can also be targets. Here are some steps to t

OFCAF Application Intake Pause Extended to September Due to Unprecedented Demand

RDAR, a leader in results-driven agriculture research in Canada, advises that intake for the 2026 On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) remains paused while applications are under review. Applicants will be notified as soon as decisions are made to approve or decline their applications. Producer response to this year’s intake has been exceptionally strong. RDAR has received more than 900 applications requesting over $21.2 million, far exceeding the $17.2 million available. Assessments are underway to determine which applications can be supported under program requirements and available funding. “The level of interest in OFCAF reflects Alberta producers’ strong commitment to practices that improve resilience, productivity, and environmental outcomes,” said RDAR CEO Dr. Mark Redmond. “Given the volume of applications, we are taking the time needed to complete a fair and disciplined assessment process.” Assessment Underway RDAR is reviewing submitted applications against program criteri

Will Soybeans Look Rough This June?

Is this June going to be a tough month for soybeans? In this part of the world, June usually challenges our crop but we’ve had a run of warm weather that makes it feel like we’re in North Carolina. So far, provided the crop got off to a good start, crop development has been rapid. But things change in a hurry and crop yellowing can will likely occur along with periods of slow or stunted plant growth. What’s normal and transitory and what should we worry about? Let’s look at a few issues. The Period of N Starvation – Often Forgotten All soybean plants, to a greater or lesser extent, go through a period of nitrogen starvation early in their development. This occurs at the point where the nutrition within the cotyledons, that fueled the plant up until that point, is running out and future growth will depend on the plant’s ability supply itself with nitrogen via nitrogen fixation. What is often forgotten is that nodule formation and the start up of Nitrogen (N) fixation demands a lot of

TELUS brings Optik TV to Montreal and Quebec City areas: Expanded service, bundling options and entertainment flexibility

TELUS is expanding its Optik TV service to the Montreal and Quebec City areas, giving customers access to over 300 TV channels and their favorite streaming platforms at home or on-the-go, in one flexible package. With Optik TV, customers can build their ideal entertainment lineup -- including illico+, Netflix, Crave, Disney+, Prime Video and Apple TV -- refresh their lineup every 30 days, and save money doing it. Bundled with PureFibre Internet, TELUS Optik TV customers also benefit from exclusive bundling options that enhance their connected experience, including TELUS Mobility, SmartHome Security, SmartEnergy. "Since 2010, Optik TV has been the platform Quebecers in Eastern Quebec have trusted for entertainment at home and on-the-go. Now, we're thrilled to extend that winning experience to the Montreal and Quebec City areas--delivering live sports, the most popular streaming services, original Quebec content from maCommunauté and seamless entertainment across all devices," said Nath

More…

Badges | Report an Issue | Terms of Service