How do you see yourself?

[cowman]

Lots of NS boys in Alberta working in the oil patch. They work hard and they party harder, but all in all they usually turn out to be very competent guys and in a few years are doing very well.
In the oil patch, a good number of workers come from the Maritimes as well as lots from Sask and Manitoba. They all seem to turn out very well. I wonder how these provinces can continue to lose their able young men(and women) and not decline? They definitely have been a plus for Alberta and once they are here they tend to stay forever.

[cowman]

cowman, nobody can party harder than the good old ALBERTA oil patch boys !!!

[kato]

My nephew is one of those Manitoba boys working on the oilfields. The call of good money is pretty strong when you're a young guy starting out.

So far he plans to use the money to go back to school. Hopefully he'll come back to Manitoba, but we'll have to wait and see.

[Eastcoaster]

Here's another Nova Scotian who has a boy that left here for the greener pastures in Alberta. 22 years of age and a pretty good cow man, who doesn't mind getting cows--t under his nails but doesn't see the same opportunities here as out there.It's really a shame I think. I read here recently that this is going to be the first month in the province's history that there will be more deaths here than births. Now they are trying to encourage more new imigrants into the province. Would be nice to have some incentive to get our native sons back.

[dferguson]

I agree. What makes government types think that imigrants will stay here if our own kids won't/can't. My older boy is working in a car plant in Ont. and would like to come back to NS but he can't raise a family on farm income here and there are few other jobs.The imigrants will come here if the incentives offered are good , then head for Toronto as usual.

[dferguson]

There are drawbacks to the big money in the Alberta industries. I have lived in the oil patch for many years, two sons also working in the industry. They make good money but sometimes they pay the price in missing out on family life when they are working 16-18 hour days a lot of the time spent away from home etc.
Money isn't everything although it a lack of it is sure one heck of a drawback !!!

[rkaiser]

You must have a hired man emerald. Have you not missed a few family gatherings over the years because those darn old cows have to be fed every day?

[rkaiser]

rkaiser, you bet I have missed many things that I wanted to attend because a cow decided to calve about the time I had one foot in my vehicle to leave the farm, and I have spent entire weekends many times cleaning out shelters, putting out extra feed etc. in order to be able to get away for a couple of days in the winter to attend conferences etc. I should have explained that both my sons work in the oil industry has taken them away for weeks at a time, which of course would mean that they missed a significant amount of family time with their kids etc.

No hired man around this place, although I do have someone that checks on things when I am away , feeds grain etc. but I do all the feeding of the hay etc., and sometimes get up at 4:00 AM to do it if I have to be away for the day.

Used a bunch of vacation days this year to calve the cows, didn't get an Arizona tan thats for sure !!!!!

[rkaiser]

Just as I thought emerald. No disrespect for your Oil Field boys, but I am one of those Farm Boys like you, who misses out on lots, has vertually no vacation time, and looks at a monthly paycheck and yes "days off" with admiration.

Hard for that not to sound like complaining, but I do honestly enjoy my work, and as we have said before,I depend on that land speculation for some sort of retirement. (That is if one of my kids doesn't decide that this lifestye is up their alley)

[rkaiser]

Randy, believe me I know where you are coming from. I love it on the farm, and love the cattle, and yes, I even enjoy doing chores in the winter..and if a person could really make a decent living at it, life would be great wouldn't it ???
I drove a neighbour lady into the city for surgery on her wrist today, she is facing another surgery on her arm in a month that will see her arm imoblized for three to four months.
Both these surgeries are a direct result of her having a couple of 'discussions' with snotty cows over the past couple of calvings.
She and her husband are both 61, work from morning to night and are just about killing themselves to make a go of their cow/calf operation. They would love to hand it down to their kids but the kids said NO THANKS !!!!