Where would you go?

[AlbertaFarmer5]

If inputs were free i could not take a picture like that on my land, something agronomists dont get.

Where exactly are you Makar? Somewhere in Peace, right? My impression of most areas of the Peace that I have seen are flat perfect black soil, but I probably haven't been far enough off the beaten path. What are the limitation as you get further towards the fringes, is it climate, soil, muskeg?

[makar]

What doesn't your agronomist get?

I dont farm sf3 dirt and farm closer to santa than him.

[makar]

Where exactly are you Makar? Somewhere in Peace, right? My impression of most areas of the Peace that I have seen are flat perfect black soil, but I probably haven't been far enough off the beaten path. What are the limitation as you get further towards the fringes, is it climate, soil, muskeg?

All of the above, things change quarter to quarter and within that, nothing flat perfect or black here, white as snow fire burnt in the last century full of potholes, one dumb fat blonde told my why do i bitch, i have 6 to 8 percent om , , well i dont i can show a soil sample with 1 percent om and i dont think they use fractions, plus the climate wreck, its is so variable here i have two quarters half mile apart with a 10 bushel difference.

[westernvicki]

Romania.. sorry, I would go to Romania.

[makar]

Everyone dreams of farming new broke land, well on the first farm i bought dad went out on new breaking with a deep tillage cultivator in the spring with shovels and it skidded all the way around first pass, went home and put spikes on, how many understand what i deal with, not the many people who failed near me, never got rich but i am still here.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

All of the above, things change quarter to quarter and within that, nothing flat perfect or black here, white as snow fire burnt in the last century full of potholes, one dumb fat blonde told my why do i bitch, i have 6 to 8 percent om , , well i dont i can show a soil sample with 1 percent om and i dont think they use fractions, plus the climate wreck, its is so variable here i have two quarters half mile apart with a 10 bushel difference.

And where is that, roughly?

[makar]

Land starts a good rifle shot south of the pioneer elevator in rycroft, pure gumbo then south and west to ashes and muskeg patches. There is a reason first farm has cows. Whole area should but times changed. People get fooled here because soil changes so quick, some of the best soil in alberta is next to me.

[makar]

Call me stupid no organic matter no dirt.

[makar]

One quarter of mine dad said he used to walk across it to school and the ashes were half way up his rubber boots. I cant buy my crops i have to grow them and the suka curva mother nature dont always let me.

[farmaholic]

Bigzee made a good point, as did Maker. Every area has some good and poor dirt. Even the Regina Plains gumbo can have some 1 inch deep water duck pastures...and once that stuff is saturated the only place for the water to go is up through evaporation.

Oddly enough I've said it before that there are people who wouldn't want to farm the Slum of the Ghetto, but it's home to me and all I know. I've seen alot worse and alot better. We ourselves have a mixed bag of tricks. But if I had to buy a new farm, if I could afford to be fussy...I would be! "Some" costs don't change much whether you're farming good dirt or poor dirt...but their abilities and limitations of each IS different.

117 years here...and if I could I would buy more beside me, if it was the right stuff...even if it cost a bit more for that luxury. But I am running out of time.

Edit: corrected to 117 years.