The forces of nature caused havoc and destruction south of Maymont on Murray and Valerie Gray's farm. The following information on flooding and farming may be a little late, but save this article for the next time you think you might need it.
If you have a livestock farm, you will need to think not only about your family and house, but also your livestock. Make a flood plan to protect your property, your facilities and your animals.
Issues you might think about when creating the plan. Create a list of emergency telephone numbers, including those of neighbours, veterinarian, poison control, shelter if needed. Have a contact person outside the farm. Make sure all this information is written down and that everyone in your family has a copy. Make sure all the animals have visible identification.
Perform regular safety checks on all utilities, buildings and facilities. Secure or remove anything that could float and move about; make a habit of securing trailers, propane tanks and other large objects. If you have boats, feed troughs or other large containers, fill them with water. This prevents them from floating away and also gives you an additional supply of water. If you use heat lamps or other electrical machinery, make sure the wiring is safe and that any heat source is clear of flammable debris. Label hazardous materials and place them all in the same safe area.
(I'm Only A Farmer) - author unknown.
I'm only a farmer. I know the sun better than anyone, the soil, the wind and the rain. I am the man who works with them and who loves them and sometimes fears them.
I'm only a farmer. I am the sower of seeds, the tender of stock and the reaper of harvest. I am sweat and tears and pride. I'm only a farmer. I am the man who feeds the young, the old and the weak and the strong. I am the black earth of Spring, the green hills of Summer, the harvest gold of Autumn and the cold white stillness of Winter.
I'm only a farmer. I am warm memories of the past, the steely reality of present and a hopeful dream of the future. I am an optimist, a thinker, a watcher and a doer.
I'm only a farmer. I live in a complex world made of simple things; they are my source of joy, hope and comfort. I have walked the morning fogs, paused for the summer song of the meadow lark and have savored the breeze off freshly cut hay. I have paused, remembering, by the stream I knew as a boy. I have felt the power of thousands of storms and rejoiced in the fresh world left in their wake.
I'm only a farmer. I am an accountant, a chemist and a doctor, a midwife, a mechanic, a seller, a trader and a buyer. I am a husband, helper and a partner to my wife, a father, comforter and teacher to my children.
I am a farmer. I am not a man of riches but a man of great wealth. I have learned to treasure life and all things living and respect their maker and my own. I am humbled by earth's bounty and awed by endless rebirth. I am fascinated by the marvelous minutiae of my world and enriched by their beauty.
I am only a farmer. I am a man that can be truly free, then I truly am. The day, the week, the month, they have been entrusted to me and are mine to spend and mine to invest and mine to use wisely. It is a solitary profession I have chosen or perhaps that I have been chosen for. A profession where there are no certainties, no guarantees granted, no promises given and no excuses taken. I have but one man to answer to, one man to depend on and one man to confide in. And in the quiet of the years, I have come to know him well.
I'm only a farmer. I am perseverance, creativity and courage. I'm only a farmer. I am confidence, ingenuity and intelligence. I'm only a farmer, a seeker of excellence and I will endure.
Joelene Prescesky and Amanda Sevick ran in the 10 kilometre event in the Saskatchewan marathon Sunday morning in Saskatoon. Joelene's time was 55:09 and Amanda's time was 56:41.
