calves off that new bull we used, or look back to assess why that new barn down the road didn’t save any labour or make life easier, we can all learn by looking back at what was a good decision but also remembering what didn’t work for you or someone else.

School, university and continuous education by reading and attending specialized conferences all aid us along life’s journey but remembering what we observed in years gone by can be the best education that we ever get.

No matter how many years you have spent planning and designing that new house, shop, or barn, it’s a lot easier and less expensive to tear up the plans and start over than to remodel that million dollar building after it is built. It’s less expensive to buy another bull than to go through another year trying to sell a yard full of calves that the buyers just don’t want. After you ran off the road during that snowy day that set of snow tires really were not that expensive.

We are just entering that holiday in the south season when we get some time to forget our worries. It’s also the period of farm management, production, financial planning, soil management, weed control, buildings planning, stress management, and even suicide prevention days and conferences. If you are reading this, you can make some of these choices. Too many of our friends and neighbours cannot. That should be a reminder to enjoy every day of our life, even if it’s just a little bit.

Our farmers have just came through one of the toughest years because of a late wet spring, a long dry summer and because of the late planting season a very late harvest or maybe some crops are still left in the fields because they were very late maturing.

Because of some very erratic or no trade policies and crop quality, prices are very unpredictable. Meat and dairy, prices are also almost impossible to predict.

Some people occasionally visit the casino and stress over loosing $20 but some of our farmers are gambling with hundreds of thousands of dollars. Many of my farming friends are known for really knowing how to enjoy a good party. That’s because they can successfully predict the outcome of that. Farmers are known to be eternal optimists and always hope for a better year next year. If it’s not the banker may be stressed out too.

There are many information days, trips targeting different productions and days to help you address stress management and even suicide detection and prevention planned for the next few months. These courses are for everyone not just farm families.

This is a period for families to come together and reminisce about happy times. It’s also a time to visit old friends and neighbours that we just didn’t. If you are too far apart, make someone’s day with an unexpected phone call.

Yes, it’s a New Year and time to look ahead and dream a little but look back too. Remember those who are not as lucky as you.

Chris Judd is a farmer in Clarendon on land that

has been in his family for generations.

gladcrest@gmail.com

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