This winter is just hanging on, hanging on! Just like when you get blue burs on your pants or socks. Always there, always annoying. Most of the time the weather is working off 20 below. If it gets higher than 20 below, up comes the wind driving the cold through your clothes just like a knife.
I have not marked a hoar frost since the eighth and ninth of last month. That will be a whole month starting in July with no rain. If you look on the bright side, that should make some good high protein wheat. Yield will be down.
On the home front, not much has happened. I have been laying low as I don't have any pressing chores to do outside and since it has been unpleasant out there, I have been staying inside. I have paper work that I need to do and I am still having issues with this new computer. I have some people who are far away who I send my View to. I understand that I have been relegated to spam status and they don't get the View. I don't know why. I phoned computer guy Nathan and he told me that it was the other guy's computer. He also told me he had a special keyboard that he would give to me for free with large letters. Just because both my eyes don't always point in the same direction doesn't mean I can't see. I will have to think of something to get him back for that one!
On the grain front a little bit of wheat has started moving. The grain that has been priced and contracted will eventually move. Those who didn't price the wheat are stuck and the elevator companies are trying to have their way with them. Just once I would like to see it the other way around. Why does the farmer always have to take the hit?
The farmers are getting it at both ends. The grain companies are trying not to pay for the grain so the poor old farmer has no cash flow. Then on the other end, the price of urea has jumped from $490 a ton last fall to $700 now. Is it heading for $800 by spring? We have seen this scenario before, haven't we? In fact it gets worse. I was talking to a guy the other day and he said his supplier told him that if he bought and paid for 500 tons right now, he couldn't guarantee delivery by spring. Where is all the fertilizer going? No farmers can afford to buy. What is this, another contrived shortage?
Last week I phoned a fertilizer dealer in Havre, Mont. and he told me he wasn't able to receive any more fertilizer until spring. He had customers that he couldn't supply and he wasn't happy. He seemed to think because I was a Canadian and the fertilizer comes from Canada, I had something to do with it. I will take my lumps for what I do, but a fertilizer shortage is not on me. So this begs the question, what is the rest of the story, where is the fertilizer going? Farmers of North America can't get their fertilizer plant built fast enough as far as I am concerned.
I had written a letter to Gerry Ritz to see if we could get this wheat moving. He phoned me Friday morning to tell me he was well aware of what was happening. Everybody has problems getting their product to market and are complaining to him. The wheat, barley and canola growers, the container guys, the lumber guys, the pulse growers and even the guys shipping oil are behind. No one is happy with the rail service. Gerry said he has had someone from his department in Edmonton meeting weekly now with the railways to try and get better service. The man in Edmonton is now sending in weekly reports. The railroads say they can do better. We will see. Gerry said they were prepared with legislation if the railway workers went on strike. They have now settled and have signed a new contract. I hope for the railroads' sake they get moving. I have seen the wrath of the Ritz and it ain't pretty if you are on the receiving end. No words are minced.
If we can get this crop moved, it can be sold at good prices. The market is there, there is no surplus like Statistics Canada with their bumper crop report suggests. Get this crop to market and give the farmers a fair price. If this situation continues, no farmer is going to buy big fertilizer inputs with wheat at $3.50 a bushel. That will be the end of any repeat of bumper crops. Really short sighted and stupid for railways and elevator companies to kill the golden goose.
On television now is Sochi, Sochi and more Sochi. I would wish everybody competing the best of luck. It will be nothing short of a miracle if we can get through these games without some terrorist attack. I am hoping everyone can arrive home safe.
To all guys and gals, just remember Friday is Valentines Day. It is an opportunity to get your significant other a little something. Chocolates are always nice. I try to get mine earrings, too. Don't forget!
Small joke of the week from my grandniece Ava Willard (8): Why did Tigger look in the toilet? He was looking for Pooh.
From grandson little Victor (9): What do you get when you cross a donkey with ridiculous. Redonkulous!
Joke of the week from Richard Chibri: Two blondes decided to go to Disneyland. They got in their truck and they drove and they drove. Finally they came to a sign that said Disneyland Left. So they left too and then they drove all the way back home.
