March 15, 2026 • 7 mins
Greg Erickson looks at a busy yet cool farming season where he is based near Millet in Canada.
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Speaker 1 (00:08):
In a circle. Is the music for a Monday. You're
listening to the must and that up next, we're away
over to Canada, catching up with Greg Gerrickson formerly Avoid Movie.
These days we're working on a farm just out of
Millet and certainly enjoying better fuel prices, and it sounds
as over than what we're seeing here in New Zealand. Greg,
good afternoon, and yeah, going pretty well. Thanks, but we
(00:29):
just haven't had the summer that would expect here in
the South. I'm sure you're well aware of that. But
where you are there is not uncommon for temperatures to
plummet into the minuses.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Oh the minuses is I think the average temperature in
Canada is like over the whole whole year, I think
it's like minus two along those lines. So minus temperature
is pretty common, especially for it's months a year we have.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
So how warm does it get in summertime? Then if
you go, if you're plunging well into the negatives.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Oh do that very greatly. Actually, some summers will struggle
with at rakey and some summers will be knocking on
forty for a month. It actually varies ridiculously.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
So it's like you're seen she a tago climate, but
steroidvice kind of.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
It's all it's very short growing season here, so the
crops the planets in May and then combines out in August,
so like summer itself is short and everything goes from
Ye you're starting to warm up to cool down in
the space of a month or two. So this summer
(01:38):
is compacted, but it can be quite intense.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
So at the moment you're on the cusp of getting
into spring, what's the priority calving?
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Calving? Right now, all everyone is, everyone who has cows
is carving, and it's hopefully you've got some sort of
shed to keep the countling, because last week she was
minus twenty five. But as soon as this is done
April slightly furthers out of here, seating will begin, and
then around these parts probably won't begin till May. But
(02:11):
at the moment it's just trying to get everything all
nice for that.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
If you're not carving, I was gonna say, getting so cold,
do you do a lot of the carving inside? I
suppose it's a no brainer, though, if you've got the facilities.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
If you do not, it's all about wind breaks. You
got to It's all about putting out panels and then
with his wind breaks and makeshift pens and makeshift fences
and what they call bedding. It's just a shredded bale
of straw on the ground and the cars and cows
(02:42):
will sleep in that and hopefully everyone wakes up.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
So what do your work on survival rate wise? If
that's the case quite high.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Actually, it's remarkable how well they do. I mean, it
depends on your breathe. But if you've got like a cementile,
they don't really have the The vivability of an angus
actually remarkably.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
High, primarily breed wise locks of Hereford's angus over there
is it where you were.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Based mainly mainly angus. There is cementile, and there is
main and jew and a few like Charlays, et cetera.
But the angus is a big one because of the reponsibility.
The seminile and the sharlays are kind of slow when
the cars get up, like once I've once they've drops,
(03:27):
when they get up to have a feed, they're just
slow and they don't really chase getting their first drink,
whereas angus are up straight away and they they want
to live basically.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
As far as numbers, how many kettles there? How many
cows have you got there that you're carving?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Three hundred and eighty so we've got sixty heifers for
their first carvers, and they won't start until the first April,
but the rest of them started on the first of March,
and we've probably had one hundred and forty so far.
So we're in the thick of it.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Now. As far as the situation with the Middle East
and Donald Trump, we're seeing a big effect here regarding
fuel prices and fuel stocks for that matter. We're hearing
about supply chains being affected. Now you're right next to
the US refineries and the likes, I imagine an a problem,
But what's it done to your fuel industry as such? Well?
Speaker 2 (04:19):
The fuel price has gone up about forty cents, But
then in terms of supply, Canada does not have a
supply issues, especially Western Canada, because it's all pulled out
of the ground here and as refineries close by that
can keep up, it's just slower. So the price goes up,
I guess, but we're not worried about supply at all.
(04:40):
I hear the talking to New Zealand because the price
going up, your inflation is going up and all the
rest of that, but here the price has only gone
up forty cents. I mean, it will affect food and
everything down the line a little bit, but not nearly
as much. So we're not having those same conversations here and.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Our previous conversations, Craig, you've talked about Donald Trump and
the knee jerk reactions and the way that he answers
questions and Canadian people and farmers, for example, not really
taking too much notice of it. Is that still the case.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Yep, it is still the case. Everyone's sort of just
accepting the market the way it is because the market,
especially the cattle market, is really high, so everyone's just
just keeping their nose, like, keeping your head down and
just just carrying on. The grain farm's a bit different
because that's all to do with China, especially in the Canola,
so it's a little bit different. But otherwise everyone's sort
(05:31):
of just realizes that they can't do a lot about it,
so just do what you can and carry on.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
The view of America where your base has it changed
over what's happened over the past six months, it has slightly.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
So Alberta has the problems I'm in we have we
are very right leaning. We're very right leaning, and so
the general overview of Trump and the rest of everything
in the States is kind of where a lot of
people would sit here, So it's not that uncommon for
(06:10):
people to be on board with it. So I guess
I'm trying to say is it's really not that talked
about here unless you're from some of the big main centers.
It's like Edmonton, the Calgary. They are the left landing
parts of the province and they have a problem with
the whole thing. But the rest of the broader community,
(06:32):
I guess it's kind of not sympathetic, but just not
that upset by the whole thing.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Hey, just finally watching Super Rugby over there? Are you
able to watch as such because you're a big Landers
and Stags fan?
Speaker 2 (06:45):
I am a big Landers and Stags fan. I have
to have to resort to watching highlights and I have
to watch and follow the scores and everything on apps. Following, Like,
actually watching the games is tough because they're all on
at midnight or one o'clock in the morning, it's when
they start, so it's tough to actually watch, especially and
finding an app to actually be able to watch the
(07:06):
games is even harder, so yeah, I have to resort
to watching highlights the following day.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Good on you a, Greg will let you carry on.
Always appreciate your time on the muster. All the best
of carving dar. I'll say it in those untropical conditions
and we'll talk again. Always appreciate it. Yeah, thanks Andy,
Greg Erickson based at Millet and Alberta and Kennedy. You're
(07:33):
listening to the muster before we wrap up. Senior Sergeant
Gary Yllington of the Gored Police
In a circle. Is the music for a Monday. You're
listening to the must and that up next, we're away
over to Canada, catching up with Greg Gerrickson formerly Avoid Movie.
These days we're working on a farm just out of
Millet and certainly enjoying better fuel prices, and it sounds
as over than what we're seeing here in New Zealand. Greg,
good afternoon, and yeah, going pretty well. Thanks, but we
(00:29):
just haven't had the summer that would expect here in
the South. I'm sure you're well aware of that. But
where you are there is not uncommon for temperatures to
plummet into the minuses.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Oh the minuses is I think the average temperature in
Canada is like over the whole whole year, I think
it's like minus two along those lines. So minus temperature
is pretty common, especially for it's months a year we have.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
So how warm does it get in summertime? Then if
you go, if you're plunging well into the negatives.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Oh do that very greatly. Actually, some summers will struggle
with at rakey and some summers will be knocking on
forty for a month. It actually varies ridiculously.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
So it's like you're seen she a tago climate, but
steroidvice kind of.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
It's all it's very short growing season here, so the
crops the planets in May and then combines out in August,
so like summer itself is short and everything goes from
Ye you're starting to warm up to cool down in
the space of a month or two. So this summer
(01:38):
is compacted, but it can be quite intense.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
So at the moment you're on the cusp of getting
into spring, what's the priority calving?
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Calving? Right now, all everyone is, everyone who has cows
is carving, and it's hopefully you've got some sort of
shed to keep the countling, because last week she was
minus twenty five. But as soon as this is done
April slightly furthers out of here, seating will begin, and
then around these parts probably won't begin till May. But
(02:11):
at the moment it's just trying to get everything all
nice for that.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
If you're not carving, I was gonna say, getting so cold,
do you do a lot of the carving inside? I
suppose it's a no brainer, though, if you've got the facilities.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
If you do not, it's all about wind breaks. You
got to It's all about putting out panels and then
with his wind breaks and makeshift pens and makeshift fences
and what they call bedding. It's just a shredded bale
of straw on the ground and the cars and cows
(02:42):
will sleep in that and hopefully everyone wakes up.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
So what do your work on survival rate wise? If
that's the case quite high.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Actually, it's remarkable how well they do. I mean, it
depends on your breathe. But if you've got like a cementile,
they don't really have the The vivability of an angus
actually remarkably.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
High, primarily breed wise locks of Hereford's angus over there
is it where you were.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Based mainly mainly angus. There is cementile, and there is
main and jew and a few like Charlays, et cetera.
But the angus is a big one because of the reponsibility.
The seminile and the sharlays are kind of slow when
the cars get up, like once I've once they've drops,
(03:27):
when they get up to have a feed, they're just
slow and they don't really chase getting their first drink,
whereas angus are up straight away and they they want
to live basically.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
As far as numbers, how many kettles there? How many
cows have you got there that you're carving?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Three hundred and eighty so we've got sixty heifers for
their first carvers, and they won't start until the first April,
but the rest of them started on the first of March,
and we've probably had one hundred and forty so far.
So we're in the thick of it.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Now. As far as the situation with the Middle East
and Donald Trump, we're seeing a big effect here regarding
fuel prices and fuel stocks for that matter. We're hearing
about supply chains being affected. Now you're right next to
the US refineries and the likes, I imagine an a problem,
But what's it done to your fuel industry as such? Well?
Speaker 2 (04:19):
The fuel price has gone up about forty cents, But
then in terms of supply, Canada does not have a
supply issues, especially Western Canada, because it's all pulled out
of the ground here and as refineries close by that
can keep up, it's just slower. So the price goes up,
I guess, but we're not worried about supply at all.
(04:40):
I hear the talking to New Zealand because the price
going up, your inflation is going up and all the
rest of that, but here the price has only gone
up forty cents. I mean, it will affect food and
everything down the line a little bit, but not nearly
as much. So we're not having those same conversations here and.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Our previous conversations, Craig, you've talked about Donald Trump and
the knee jerk reactions and the way that he answers
questions and Canadian people and farmers, for example, not really
taking too much notice of it. Is that still the case.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Yep, it is still the case. Everyone's sort of just
accepting the market the way it is because the market,
especially the cattle market, is really high, so everyone's just
just keeping their nose, like, keeping your head down and
just just carrying on. The grain farm's a bit different
because that's all to do with China, especially in the Canola,
so it's a little bit different. But otherwise everyone's sort
(05:31):
of just realizes that they can't do a lot about it,
so just do what you can and carry on.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
The view of America where your base has it changed
over what's happened over the past six months, it has slightly.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
So Alberta has the problems I'm in we have we
are very right leaning. We're very right leaning, and so
the general overview of Trump and the rest of everything
in the States is kind of where a lot of
people would sit here, So it's not that uncommon for
(06:10):
people to be on board with it. So I guess
I'm trying to say is it's really not that talked
about here unless you're from some of the big main centers.
It's like Edmonton, the Calgary. They are the left landing
parts of the province and they have a problem with
the whole thing. But the rest of the broader community,
(06:32):
I guess it's kind of not sympathetic, but just not
that upset by the whole thing.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Hey, just finally watching Super Rugby over there? Are you
able to watch as such because you're a big Landers
and Stags fan?
Speaker 2 (06:45):
I am a big Landers and Stags fan. I have
to have to resort to watching highlights and I have
to watch and follow the scores and everything on apps. Following, Like,
actually watching the games is tough because they're all on
at midnight or one o'clock in the morning, it's when
they start, so it's tough to actually watch, especially and
finding an app to actually be able to watch the
(07:06):
games is even harder, so yeah, I have to resort
to watching highlights the following day.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Good on you a, Greg will let you carry on.
Always appreciate your time on the muster. All the best
of carving dar. I'll say it in those untropical conditions
and we'll talk again. Always appreciate it. Yeah, thanks Andy,
Greg Erickson based at Millet and Alberta and Kennedy. You're
(07:33):
listening to the muster before we wrap up. Senior Sergeant
Gary Yllington of the Gored Police
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