Not even Dale Hanson’s father could remember a spring as wet as 2011, and Ed was the second-oldest regular for coffee at Wongs Café every Thursday. “The northeast quarter’s still under at least a foot of water,” Ed said. “This was the wrong year to buy that new combine.”
Ed kept talking while Dale’s wife Donna came out to the deck with iced tea and chocolate chip cookies. “It’s barely worth taking it out of the shed, the way that canola looks.”
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“Yep,” Dale said, choosing a cookie. His father had said this every time he’d driven out to the farm since mid-June, when they’d thrown up their hands and put the mud-covered air cart back in the shed after seeding only 500 of their 6,000 acres. Two quarter sections of the farm were still submerged, part of a forgotten water run that hadn’t seen action since the 1950s. Most of the rest of the farm had just been too wet to seed.
By late July they had sprayed out the weeds and disked them down. Now in early September with only a small harvest looming, the Hanson family was taking a morning coffee break in the sun.
While Ed grumbled, Dale and Donna’s son Jeff and his wife Elaine walked over from their own house across the yard, with their two-year-old riding on Jeff’s shoulders. “The yard’s never looked so good,” Jeff said.
“It’s green. With all that rain,” Ed said.
“And we’ve had the time to look after the lawn and trees,” added Donna.
“Yeah,” Jeff said. “We’re lucky that way. Rick Wilson’s been busy all week moving everything out of his smelly flooded shop.”
“Rick’s going to get punched if he keeps giving the reeve the finger every time he meets him on the road,” Ed said. “Rick says if they would’ve had more culverts in the road, his yard would’ve stayed dry.”
“Rick says he’s just giving the reeve a thumbs up,” Dale said.
“That’s not the story at Wongs,” Ed chuckled. “It’s hard to believe,” said Elaine. “Lifelong neighbours, arguing over water runs and culverts.”
“If a city neighbour relandscapes his yard, the worst you’ll get is a wet basement. You don’t lose your income for a year,” Dale said. “And it’s so flat here, we’re not sure where all this water is supposed to go. There aren’t enough natural water runs.”
“Jeff and I picked the wrong year to quit our jobs and move out here,” Elaine said.
“We’re all right,” Donna said. “You’ve seen the books. With the Crop Insurance payment, and the AgriStability money.”
“A guy hates to rely on handouts,” Ed said, shaking his head.
“And we still have some canola left in the bin,” Donna said.
“Let’s not sell that too soon,” Dale said. “If I haul it out now, I’ll have nothing left to do until next spring.”
“It’s good that Donna has a plan,” Elaine said.
But Ed never did keep his temper in the heat, and he’d been sleeping poorly most of the summer so nobody was surprised when he snapped. “Unless Donna’s plan includes a lesson in ark building and a hunt for two unicorns, it’s not going to be good for much.”
“I think we’re all a bit stressed,” Elaine said. “You think?” Jeff asked.
“I made a phone call.” Elaine waited hopefully for a few seconds, but when nobody asked for more details, she took a breath and carried on anyway. “It’s hard on all of us, harvest time, and barely any crop. So I called the Farm Stress Line.”
“They still have that?” Dale asked.
“Yes,” Elaine said. “They were really helpful.” “Oh, I bet,” Ed said. “Bunch of government employees, counting the seconds until their next coffee break.”
Elaine told the family that it hadn’t been like that at all. “The Client Services rep I talked to said she lived on a farm for years.”
“She’s not farming now,” Ed said. “She’s on the phone all day.”
Donna poured Ed some more iced tea and turned to Elaine. “Did she have any advice?”
“Oh, here we go,” Ed put in.
“Yes,” Elaine said. “Kathy said we should talk about our feelings. She said sharing and listening can really help.”
“Listening to this? I’m not so sure,” Ed said. Elaine persevered. “She said we should be supportive, and help each other.”
“That’s the problem,” Dale said. “There’s almost nothing to do. I don’t need help.”
“One guy can watch a slough evaporate by himself,” Ed said.
Elaine nodded. “Kathy says staying hopeful will help.”
“Good idea,” said Ed. “Let’s tell the dealership we’ll make our combine payment with sunny rays of hope instead of cash.”
“Did she have any more practical suggestions?” Dale asked.
“Yes,” Elaine said, “and since we have time, I think it makes sense. Kathy suggested we get away from the farm for a few days. Take a break.”
“Sure,” Ed said. “We’ll fly off to Hawaii. First class. Rent a penthouse suite. And a limo. Might as well go out in style.”
Elaine ignored him. “Maybe you and Donna could spend a few days with your brother in Calgary, Dale, once we’re done with the canola.”
Donna nodded, thinking.
“I never thought of it. It’s been awhile since I could get out of here before November,” Dale said. “Maybe we could.”
“Either way,” Elaine said. “It’s good for us to be able to talk. Kathy says pulling together will make us stronger. Especially when things happen that we can’t control.”
“Oh for crying out loud,” Ed said.
After the others left, Ed turned to Elaine. “Maybe you’d better get me that number for that phone line.” Elaine smiled.
“It’s not for me,” Ed added quickly, “but some of the other guys at Wongs Café are getting a little edgy.”CG
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Stressed?
There’s help in your province
British Columbia: Call crisis counsellors available through 911 service.
Alberta: 1-877-303-2642 C onfidential Help Line
Saskatchewan:1-800-667-4442S askatchewan Farm Stress Line
Manitoba: 1-866-367-3276 Manitoba Farm &Rural Support Services
Ontario: 1-888-451-2903 The Farm Line
Quebec: Contact your local community service centre
New Brunswick: Crisis counsellors available through 911 service
Nova Scotia: 1-877-418-7555 Farm Family Support Centre
Prince Edward Island:1-800-736-8206 The Farmer Assistance Program
