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Hey Woodland can i ask and no offence intended

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    Hey Woodland can i ask and no offence intended

    Love you threads and posts. On commodity forum which is free for all farming forum now all good in my opinion.

    But wonder why you operation is cattle is your rainfall less than others? Or your rainfall to much for cropping?

    Your soil not suited?

    You love and got sick of merry go round working for machinery companies rather than yourself in regards to cropping?

    You have a genetically superior herd and dont want to give up years of breeding?

    Hey if ive pissed you off with question no drama but im part of the furniture here nowadays
    Last edited by Landdownunder; Jan 19, 2023, 03:33.

    #2
    The western parts of Alberta can have short frost free and lower heat units than east of Hwy 2...corridor; when wet then cool as well/forage production much less risky in more often volatile climate.

    Cheers

    Comment


      #3
      Good day Mallee

      Just headed out to go load a few liners with heifers. Always a good day when you put wheels under them at a decent price. Will talk more later………….. it’s payday here🍀

      Comment


        #4
        Woodland and I are in a similar climate/topography. Cattle are the main ag industry this far west. Foothills at the far west end of agriculture, higher elevations and close to the mountains. Makes for lower heat units, poorer low OM soil, typically grey wooded, my area almost always gets too much moisture.

        We have transitioned to almost entirely grain now, but not without challenges. Too cold and wet ( and often snow on the ground) to start very early. With the lower heat units, it takes weeks longer to mature compared to anywhere further east. Typically have snow before we can harvest. Have harvested with snow on the ground as many years as not. Doesn't take much excess moisture to cause major damage with the soils we have. Wildlife damage is considerable. I am at the western end of the infamous hail belt as an added bonus.

        We will always grow something, but too often it becomes a salvage operation due to hail/snow/frost/floods, etc.

        Comment


          #5
          And another big factor in this area is the fact that most land is it best half farmable the other half will never be dry enough or productive enough to be anything more than pasture or slough hay. When trying to find more land to farm, as a straight grain farmer, at eliminates most of the land that comes up for sale or rent. Whereas a mixed farmer can make use of all of it. This area is full of muskegs. She'll have to pay for every acre regardless if you can make it produce something or not.

          Comment


            #6
            Hi Mallee
            It was a beautiful day here. Just below freezing and no fog which was nice for a change.

            We run about 1/3 of our acres as crop and it goes through a combine. That’s on the “nicer” ground further away from the main yard. It’s generally less hilly with less muskeg.

            Rolling equipment in our hills is a real concern. I’ve rolled a feed wagon, brother did an air cart, and dad put the cat right on its back with the blade pointing to the sky. One quarter we bought came with a 510 Massey at the bottom of the hill it rolled down as a reminder for everyone to be careful.

            We’ve got a chunk of old lake bed that grows really good slough grass and cattails for grazing or possibly bales on a dry year. Probably should just pasture everything as folks tell us our cows must have shorter legs on one side to stay level on the side hills…………

            I love the cows but truthfully at times I’m a bit envious of the freedom of a grain farmer in the winter. We like the corn grazing for the time savings it offers us and is a game changer in keeping the cows around.

            I’d like to think our cows have “superior” genetics but really they are suited to our low maintenance regime and rough pasture. I had to go and put down my wife’s last pet 4-H cow yesterday. Definitely the suckey part of livestock. Hadn’t calved in a couple years but she was a blue roan named Oreo and was 21 years old. My wife cried and I told her it’s ok since that cow has been in her life longer than me😉

            Mallee do you run your sheep on the rougher ground there? Which do you prefer……. the flock or the fieldwork?

            Comment


              #7
              Have had a busy week with several meetings, sheep, grazing etc. The one thing I can maybe add to it, is in these groups of people, they love what they do. It’s not about flashy machinery or more, more more. Livestock ppl seem more content. I don’t mean this as anti grain farming, but they just seem to have found contentment which with grain can be elusive in today’s industrial ag system.

              Our bank accounts are the love of livestock and the love of the land, the new life, the hands on agriculture it still is able to provide.

              So to answer with simply my opinion on this; from what I have seen, is that from his posts, woodland loves what he does. For me, I love the animals so much more than grain and how it has gone. My only regret is I didn’t shift away from grain sooner, and get into sheep twenty years earlier. I love it. And it has been extremely good to us with a far more consistent and reliable income and a far lower stress for me. Again, not for everyone, but some of us actually love critters! With how we market, we are in total control. I can far more easily control my costs with animals than with grain.

              There are guys with livestock in rich grain lands as well. And they still CHOOSE to have livestock, because they love what they do. Prime grainland is also prime pasture and forage land. Prime intensive grazing land. Prime meat producing land.


              That’s my two pennies. Sorry if I put words into anyone’s mouth, or sound anti grain. That is not my intent. It’s simply not for me like it used to be. I know many grain guys who also appear to love what they do, and I don’t question that much, even if it behooves me as to the how or the why.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by woodland View Post
                Hi Mallee
                It was a beautiful day here. Just below freezing and no fog which was nice for a change.

                We run about 1/3 of our acres as crop and it goes through a combine. That’s on the “nicer” ground further away from the main yard. It’s generally less hilly with less muskeg.

                Rolling equipment in our hills is a real concern. I’ve rolled a feed wagon, brother did an air cart, and dad put the cat right on its back with the blade pointing to the sky. One quarter we bought came with a 510 Massey at the bottom of the hill it rolled down as a reminder for everyone to be careful.

                We’ve got a chunk of old lake bed that grows really good slough grass and cattails for grazing or possibly bales on a dry year. Probably should just pasture everything as folks tell us our cows must have shorter legs on one side to stay level on the side hills…………

                I love the cows but truthfully at times I’m a bit envious of the freedom of a grain farmer in the winter. We like the corn grazing for the time savings it offers us and is a game changer in keeping the cows around.

                I’d like to think our cows have “superior” genetics but really they are suited to our low maintenance regime and rough pasture. I had to go and put down my wife’s last pet 4-H cow yesterday. Definitely the suckey part of livestock. Hadn’t calved in a couple years but she was a blue roan named Oreo and was 21 years old. My wife cried and I told her it’s ok since that cow has been in her life longer than me😉

                Mallee do you run your sheep on the rougher ground there? Which do you prefer……. the flock or the fieldwork?
                Just watch your back on your 21st anniversary. She may go tit for tat! lol

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by flea beetle View Post
                  Just watch your back on your 21st anniversary. She may go tit for tat! lol
                  Phew……. 8.5 years till that’s a concern😉

                  She’s never fired a gun but could probably figure it out if required…………

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Woodland, just keep being you .
                    You are a pleasure to have on Agriville 👍

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Woodland, quick thinking on your part snapping a picture of who left with the cheque.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Sure enjoy your contributions here as well woodland. Refreshing to see such a positive perspective in agriculture and I have no doubt your kids will benefit greatly from being raised in such an environment.

                        21 years for a cow is the longest I’ve ever heard! I’m sure that old girl had a good life but it doesn’t make losing her any easier. My mom also had an old pet that we hung on to many years past her “prime”. They are more than just a paycheque sometimes
                        Last edited by farmboy44; Jan 20, 2023, 09:39.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          We had a 21 year old cow. A famous pet. Raised a calf every year, and twins once. Weaned her last calf in good shape, then went downhill quickly.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Our good old cows that were in calf every year became a surrogate cow. The last 3 or 4 years. Take her calf and graft it on one that loses hers. She comes sailing through the summer fat, happy and in calf. Repeat.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              actually enjoy both stock and grain but costs of machinery fert chems etc who ya working for companies or yourself?

                              risk management to have both.

                              at times i miss cattle labour a real issue in sheep industry

                              guess its all part of risk management.

                              yeah i googled muskeg swamp/peat not worthless land but close?

                              Comment

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