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[email protected]

Well, the patch will see little activity this year, I will be taking the year off, due to the extreme work load, and the lack of employees. We're still going to plant a few, but they will be on their own, and we'll be running with all our own seeds.
On the bright side, this should give me the chance to catch a few weigh offs, Not sure which ones yet, but we'll decide after the rumors start, LOL
So Good luck to all and let's break a few records
Eddy

4/19/2007 12:52:49 AM

Ohio

Eddy, this isnt one of them Glenn tricks is it? lol. Good luck with the few you are growing eddy.

Brooks

4/19/2007 6:41:19 AM

Chippewa Falls, WI

Good luck Eddy!!!
April

4/19/2007 6:48:40 AM

[email protected]

Brooks
Do you really think I would do that.
We have work for 25-30 carpenters, and as it sits today, we have 12. Just nobody available.
I ran an add across Canada, and had 2 responses.
Just an extreme labor shortage.
Such is life, and if I want to participate in any auctions, or catch a weighoff, I need to put in the time.
Also, trying to secure a 10 acre parcel for Pumpkin growing after I retire, (in a much better growing area) still in Alberta, but farther away from the mountains.

Shame on you Brooks, lol

Eddy

4/19/2007 9:49:45 AM

Knopp, Germany

i know what a hammer looks like eddy. hire me!

4/19/2007 10:12:09 AM

[email protected]

OK but we don't use hammers, all air, even easier, when does your plane arrive so I can pick you up

Eddy

4/19/2007 10:17:34 AM

Omaha, NE (N41-15-42 )

Eddy, you ought to give Matt Winey a call. I hear he works for seeds.

4/19/2007 11:23:38 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

What kind of insurance plan do you have?

4/19/2007 11:49:00 AM

[email protected]

Don't they have national health care in Canada?

4/19/2007 1:03:07 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

Hey Eddie,

Whats the wage? Pay in seeds? I like Wallace seeds.....lol. Hope you get things worked out and can grow at least a couple.....

4/19/2007 1:22:06 PM

[email protected]

We have a national health care system, and we offer Extended health, including dental, to all our employees
So all prescriptions, ambulance rides, private rooms etc, is all paid.(that's for the whole family, not just the worker)
Pay in seeds, well now, labor standards might have a problem with that lol

The labor crunch is very typical throught most of Canada.
I read recently, Alberta alone could handle 150,000 new employees. our biggest problem is the oil company's are paying huge wages and taking many of our workers.
But the bitter sweet end of this is, the oil generates most of our economy, so we do what we can.
The downfall is housing, there is zero rentals available and our average house sells for $475,000.00 and condo are averaging $295,000.00. so to move here, you need more than seeds. lol
Eddy

4/19/2007 2:01:54 PM

Wi

Where is this in Canada? We have 25+ carpenters laid off here where I'm at and this is the trend nation wide. I'm near the twin cities.

4/19/2007 2:05:16 PM

[email protected]

I work in Calgary Alberta, it's the same as far east as Winnipeg, for sure, I used a couple crews out of Winnipeg a few years back, and I phoned them 2 weeks ago and they're in the same situation as me. Same goes for Toronto, and as I understand they're base wages are about $3.00 higher than ours. But ours is catching up fast.
A huge hurdle is getting the work Visa, typical of all Government policies, it takes between 6 months and a year to get it.
As an example, McDonalds and Walmart have both brought in 100 people from Mexico, took them 9 months, the 2 company's had to find housing and allow each person a free plane ticket home and return every 6 months, just to get the work visa's.

4/19/2007 4:43:56 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

The effect side of high oil prices...

Out in Eastern Utah where my wife is from, there's oil there, and people are going crazy. Kids right out of high school make $70K/year. This is in a very remote area with a sparse population. You can imagine what happens to the local economy.

Then what happens when peace breaks out and the price of oil drops back to $30/barrel? (OK, OK, it certainly doesn't look like peace is going to be here anytime soon.)

4/19/2007 5:42:57 PM

[email protected]

That is exactly what's happening here, except it's the whole province, And yes please drop oil prices, OK just 15% would be nice.
The oil company's take kids out of school, pay then 6 or 7,000.00 a month, we can't compete with that. I pay my 13 or 14 year finishers and cabinet makers that.

4/19/2007 6:05:27 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Hope you still plant a couple just for fun Eddy....you most likely will end up with another huge one.

Same employment issues here in BC as well, alot of skilled labour is going to places like Ft. McMurray where the average guy can make 80-100K in about six months. I know a bunch of business owners here that are losing journeymen plumbers and pipe fitters to alot of other places.

Same thing in my business where a labourer (installing blinds/window coverings/draperies) is running $20 per hour.

Economy is great....everyone working but there is a price to pay for it. Average house in my area is $750,000.00 and that is just entry level.....I can't wait to move back to Vancouver Island where it is not quite as crazy yet....just all those retired oil workers buying up all the real estate in sight!!

Glenn

4/19/2007 9:25:27 PM

Ohio

We kinda have the same problem here, only that kids don't need to have a high school education, and they make 80,000 a WEEK with benefits, welfare and free health care. They are opening myth labs and buying crack houses for almost nothing to live in to raise a family. Why work when there is easy money to be made,and if they get laid off the state or government will put them up in a place with a indoor pool,gym and racket ball courts,also with softball fields,horseshoe pits and football field to stay in shape. They also get there college payed for and only pay 3 dollars to see a doctor, they also get 3 square meals a day,so why do all that hard labor stuff when tax payers will pay for it?

4/20/2007 3:58:21 AM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Brooks, dude you need a new job!! Move to Canada and work for Eddy....he might even let you tend his plants.

4/20/2007 12:05:59 PM

[email protected]

Glenn
All my plants would be trimmed to within a 1/4 inch of the vine, the fruit would be handcuffed and the culls would be shot, lol
We also have a huge meth problem. but the crack problem is getting better, as more and more plumbers are wearing suspenders

Eddy

4/20/2007 12:42:19 PM