The boys are playing hockey while I write. I may not be here too long before I have to go rescue my house or one of the boys!
Last night it rained - we're thankful there was no hail or strong winds. The crop is fragile right now - ripe and ready to go which means even the smallest hail would shell out the seeds and that would be that! It's a vulnerable feeling to have know you have a decent crop that could disappear in one storm. It really is true that we can't count our chickens until they're hatched...in our case, count on a crop until it's in the bin!
On the bright side, yesterday I had a conversation about Wal-mart and how it's driving small local businesses out of business. I thought afterwards how we don't have to worry about that one! Any big business like Wal-mart wouldn't touch farming with a ten foot pole - at least not grain farming in the Canadian prairies!!! Can you see it now? Returns on equity are so poor that we're just about crazy to do what we do. It's a good thing there a few crazy people left to keep it up.
6 comments:
Ironic that you write about how one big storm could wipe out your years crop - yet one big Wal*Mart can't ....
Ironic..maybe... But it is funny that the very thing that makes farming so risky (weather being one factor) maybe actually protects us from big corporate take-overs or being pushed out of the business. Now that's a whole new way of looking at it *grin*
Andrea - My husband and I are finally fulfilling his lifelong goal of owning a farm. (We're in eastern Washington state) You're right--it's a good thing there are enough of us loons left to keep farming alive. I, too, hate the ambiguity of farming. Sometimes I wonder why God matched me (schedule-oriented, order-loving, plan-making) up with my husband. I'm sure glad He did though! Best wishes for a safe, bountiful harvest.
Welcome sarajo! From one loon to another: there's so much I love about the life I have here on the farm that I guess I can grumble once in awhile. How exciting for you (and your husband)to turn a dream into reality. Ladger and I have talked about attending some farming conferences in Washington state sometime - we've been to different ones East of us but not West and I'm thinking that would be beautiful country to see!
We know we're biased, but we certainly think it's beautiful here--rolling hills (that will buck a level-land combine right off of them), trees, a fantastic climate--we've got it all! Have you considered attending the Ag Expo/Farm Forum? http://www.spokanechamber.org/spokanechamber/sub.aspx?id=1375 My husband looks forward to it all year long--very cute.
Sara
Thanks for the link Sara! I can't wait to take a few minutes to take a look at it :-)
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