years end in search of better

It is the evening of christmas day as I write. Two days ago it was back into the deep freeze here. This unrelenting cold has got me thinking about where else a person could live. There are many warmer locales however they too have their drawbacks. I'll keep looking but I'm becoming ever more suspicious that there is no eden ,not yet. Unemployment in my life is a concern as well. I have plenty of moral support but its not the same as working. I wonder if I'll ever do what I really love doing. By all appearances a career in the financial sector is not in the cards. It seems they want college grads fresh out of school rather than exp. old guys. In a lot of ways I don't blame them. I'm back to leanin on my exp. in farming.
I continue to analyse and calculate the feasibility of leasing a facility to run sheep and train dogs.My own self confidence is making me analyse again and again.
Having seen a brief review of the sheep sales at agribition gets you thinking about buying sheep now with prices so good. Is this a bubble or the new normal ? Of the sellers would have you believe it a new normal. So would I if i was selling. But as the predation problem stays or increases how many people want to stay in ? Even in what I love I feel skepticism creeping in. Speaking of skepticism I also wonder about the demand for a good herding dog in this area. Livestock producers will spend 3000.00 dllars on a horse rather than spend 2000.00 on a dog (dogs are free). Don't get me wrong I appreciate a good horse but when I do the math $1000/yr. to keep a horse and $400/yr to keep a dog ,well I never was good at math but a dog is a better buy based on $ and work done. Maybe that should be my crusade, but my lack of tact probably wouldn't win many converts. Besides you ever talked to a cattleman? Corb lund's song 'truck got stuck' wasn't about trucks it was about the minds of cowboys. I am qualified to make such a remark having lived in that culture for near 30 years. Things to think about our stubborness and rigidity. a lack of self confidence and the herd mentality that humans have. Iwonder will people ever change? Will I ever change?

The logic of sheep producers

AsI promised in the debut I will discuss with myself thesheep business and sheep dogs. The course that I took gave me the ability to view these ventures with a new perspective. Sheep in canada have evolved to where they have narrowed what is acceptable to the commercial producer and the packers. That being as it is, I'm not convinced that such a decision is in the best interest of the national flock. In my opinion certain breeds are best suited to certain enviroments. What I see is an exodusfrom the wool breeds or range breeds to the meat breeds or farm breeds. Think about this for a while. In the vast expanses of western canada do you really need a ewe that has triplets or lacks the instinct to flock. All to often our grass is not sufficient to sustain triplets or sustain them profitably at least. the other problem is predators. How is a LGD (livestock guardian dog) able to protect the flock when they spread out so profusely? Opponents would say that their dogs are doing the job and I don't dispute that I just think the task becomes easier when the sheep stay together. In order to appease the feedlots and the packers you simply crossbreed to a meat breed. I don't let the range breeds of the hook entirely.One of the issues with range breeds is pallatebility of the meat. To that I think that a lot more work needs to done in genetics to improve the carcass. But all this can be accomplished if the will is there. If you are raising lamb in Ont. or PQ. this is not any concern, but in western regions it certainly bears consideration. Of course that brings up a conversation about appropriate land use. I'm going to leave that be for the moment. Let me your thoughts on this.
Sheep dogs, oh boy a subject near and dear to my heart. I really screwed up about 4-5 yrs. ago, by putting off hav ung my bitch bred. She is a great working dog well bred and a very pretty dog as well. Now she is nearing 7yrs. of age and almost too old to whelp safely. To top off that misjudgement now when I am considering breeding her she is not showing a estrus cycle. maybe its her way of saying "you snooze you lose' None the less it is what it beyond my control. Course as recently as 1 month ago I was not nearly as serious and commited to border collies as I am now. 24 yrs. of living with this wonderful breed and only now I am commited ,honestly sometimes I shake my self. I guess to compensate for poor judgement I am now in search of another dog. One that I can eventually take to trials. Oh yeah, another thing I neglected in the 24 yrs. that passed. So the search begins in earnest for dogs,sheep and a place to keep the sheep and train dogs.
One other postulation, these border collies are so mezmerising to watch when herding or trialling that I am trying to put together a proposal for a trial. Much to the chagrin of the purist triallers it would likely be an arena trial as that is wtat appeals to the public (lack of knowledge)=(short attention span) We have some new found prosperity in my home province (finally) so I think the time is closer to explore some sponsored entertainment events. Wish me luck with idea and getting people onside.