Many farms have been visited and will receive requests for visits in the future. Classes of school children are very observant and remember what they hear and see. Retirement home residents enjoy a trip to and the smells of a farm and that face to face contact with farm animals brings back memories of the farm that they knew.
Many of our politicians are far removed from the farm and whether they are municipal, provincial or federal, or the employees of these politicians they’re all surprised at the broad knowledge of farmers, the amount of investment on today’s farms, the amount of technology in use on today’s farms and the commitment the farmer has to his job.
The farmer must also be prepared to address difficult questions asked by vegans who don’t eat meat or drink milk. The farmer may also have to address difficult questions posed by those who think that all animals should be set free and not be exploited by man.
Farmers must explain that not all land is suitable for crop production because some fields are too small, too stony, too crooked, too hilly or even in too cool a climate for profitable crop production. These same fields that are useless for crop production can be used quite successfully for grazing of dairy cows, beef animals, sheep or goats. These animals have the ability to turn pasture into meat or milk that can be used to nourish hundreds of thousands of hungry people worldwide.
Farm visitors must be shown the care and commitment given to the comfort of animals. The intensity of light and the length of lighting period, the ventilation and temperature in the buildings, the rubber floors that cushion the animals steps, the rubber filled mattresses that the animals sleep on and the water sprinklers that help keep animals cool on hot days, all to make the animals as comfortable as possible.
Today’s barns are designed to provide cows with only a short time in the holding pen while waiting to be milked and fresh tepid water is available only a few steps from where the animal is.
Fresh feed is balanced nutritionally for each cow’s needs and available when the animal wants it. Cow brushes are available so animals can groom themselves. Each cow is monitored for upset tummies, stress and activity or mobility and updates on all this information is sent right to the herds man’s cell phone. Floors are cleaned every few hours so animals are not walking on dirty floors. All this is done so the animals have lots of time to rest between jobs.
Everything that we or animals eat must die. Meat, chicken, fish or vegetables must die before providing nourishment for us or our animal friends. Hay and corn must be cut off before animals eat it.
People who study radionics tell us that crops give off different radio signals when a farmer begins cutting a field. Unhealthy crops that are missing one or more minerals or soil nutrients send off a different radio signal than a healthy crop. That is why insects, bugs and worms attack an unhealthy plant that is sending off these signals, before touching a healthy plant.
Farmers try to make each job easier; but there is an optimum time to plant and harvest every crop and sometimes they must work very long hours to get these jobs completed at the most optimal time.
Cows are creatures of habit and like to be milked at the same times every day. They will moo at you loudly if you are a few minutes late.
Dairy farms have a daily milk quota to fill and must manage their herds to calve at just the right time to provide a constant supply of milk.
There are many new productions on our Pontiac farms as well as some major changes that have taken place on established farms. Our farmers must be ready to welcome visitors and explain things that farmers just take for granted. It can also be very interesting for consumers to visit a farm and touch base with a real farmer who helps grow the food that you need every day.
Chris Judd is a farmer in Clarendon on land that has been in his family for generations.
gladcrest@gmail.com
