Blog

Thanks for landing here, please check out the comment sections as I will be posting resurces there as they come at me. This sandbox will focus on farm management and farm succession resources. 

To kick this off, there is a course offered by University of Guelph that requires an investment of your time, there is a lot of good resources there, gets you thinking and hopefuly has soe good ideas to help make your farm more profitable, more enjoyable and get you inspired a bit. I completed the course this fall and found it useful and reminded me of my New Liskerad College of Agricuture Days. I graduated from there in 1984. The Dean , what is his name, it escapes me at the moment, thats not like me to forget a name, it will come to me. Anyway, Earl Pollock was on of my teachers , Allen Francis , he came from Renfrew and he retired there. 

Here is my  Christmas email

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Merry Christmas ! wishing you and your family all the best this holiday season.
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I meant to send this info earlier, and since I am doing some browsing, I thought you might benefit from this course that I took earlier this year. It's a free course that is packed with a lot of good info that is easy to get through and has some good business lessons in it.
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https://www.guelphagriculturalmanagement.com/#whyjoin
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The course opens up Jan 9th and one can get on the wait list by registering now.
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This is a good course that you and your successors could benefit from.
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I am thinking it might spark the succession conversations that should be happening.
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I am going to retake the course, the price is right and sometimes we need to hear the message over and over again to glean all the benefits.
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Thanks
Tim
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Timothy Ross, Family Advisor , CEO & Founder, Brock Shores Financial
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Mutual Fund Representative through PEAK Investment Services Inc.
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This transmission is intended solely for the individual or entity to whom it is addressed and is confidential in nature. Please be advised that any distribution, reproduction or other use of this document by anyone other than the addressee is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately. Thank you for your assistance
Brock Shores Financial / Timothy Ross & Associates, Family Office Providing Omega Stewardship
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4502 Airport Road – Tincap, GTA Professional Center , Elizabethtown, Ontario K6T 1A2
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613-345-0016 Office
613-213-4625 Cell/Text 613-345-5231 Fax
advisor@timothyross.com
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Executive Assistant: Heather Kiley heather@timothyross.com
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Office Assistant: Tammy Abrams assistant@timothyross.com
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Office Manager: Megan Ross megan@timothyross.com
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Bookkeeping Associate: Becky Eamon becky@timothyross.com
Tax Associate: Kelly Potvin kelly@timothyross.com
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Mission - Vision – Core Values
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“Serving our clients and community since 1988”
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OMEGA STEWARDSHIP
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* One Stop Process Driven Approach for Retirement & Income Planning
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* Personalized Tax Management Solutions for Individuals & Business Owners
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* Confidential Wealth Management Solutions
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www.BrockShoresFinancial.ca www.TimothyRoss.com #ImprovingFutures
www.ImprovingFutures.ca
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Helping Families Achieve ... Life's Major Goals
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1. Tax Smart Planning & Investing
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2. Worry Free Retirement
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3. Education of Our Children & Grandchildren
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4. Quality Care for Our Parents
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5. Meaningful Financial Help for Our Loved Ones
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6. Meaningful Legacy
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Member of Advocis, The Financial Advisors Association of Canada
Member of IFB,
Independent Financial Brokers of Canada
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Member of RIA

*****

https://youtu.be/tGKY6vJNrgY

Video Description Content

As we head into Thanksgiving, how do we give thanks to our good Shepherd? As we continue to interiorize Psalm 23, we can be grateful that our Good Shepherd is personal and provides all we need and want. "The Lord is MY Shepherd, I shall not WANT..." As Pastor Mike shared, we make Psalm 23 to be IN us so He can provide daily the joy, comfort, and peace He provides as our Shepherd. We fear no evil because His rod and staff comfort us: picture that GM truck (Goodness and Mercy) protecting us when we walk through that valley of darkness. As Louie Giglio reminds us, He prepares a table for us IN the presence of our enemies. As Mike shared about his morning prayer time when his own thoughts were leading him to a dark place, he turned to Psalm 23 and God stopped at: He makes me lie down... Keller tells us sheep don't lie down until 4 conditions are met: no fear, no friction with others, no parasites, no anxiety about food. Just as that crying baby needs a mom to comfort her before she can rest, we need the Shepherd to help us lie down: the problems (or diaper rash!) may still be there, but as a Mom is greater than a baby's cries so the Shepherd is greater than our struggles.

The Shepherd guides us and when our thoughts are not good, we pray for Him to give us HIS thoughts. He restores our souls and leads us to the still waters and lets us know when we're drinking from the wrong places that don't satisfy our thirst. He provides just enough 'green pastures' every day and as Ray VanderLaan reminds us: don't let tomorrow's worries rob us of today's green pastures.
As you interiorize this Psalm, let each phrase saturate with meaning that you may know God and especially this week: GIVE THANKS for all His good gifts: He is our Shepherd who provides all we need, restores us, guides us, and makes us lie down: thank you, Lord!

“PSALM 23: A PSALM FOR THE LIVING #3”

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” – Ps 23: 1-3.

GREEN PASTURES:

Ray VanderLaan brings a great understanding of this. It’s natural for us to imagine the “green pastures” as “belly-deep alfalfa” because we’ve grown up in an American farm country where the pastures are lush. This skews our understanding, however. In Judea, “green pastures” are little sprigs of green sprouting from under rocks. There is just enough for today – and that’s OK because our shepherd is trustworthy.
STILL WATERS:

Clouds rolling in off the Mediterranean Sea will drop rain on the “high country” in Judea. As the watershed collects and merges hundreds of streams into a single channel, it rushes down deep ravines into the desert en route to the dead sea hundreds of feet below. A person (or sheep) could be lazily drinking water from a small pool in just such a ravine and be blasted by a 20’ wall of water, even though the sky is blue and the birds are singing.
When we “thirst” in life, (when we have a need and seek fulfillment) we often look for the closest, easiest waterhole. We have no way of knowing that it’s raining in the mountains. Nor do we know for sure that the water is clean. Simply put, before you drink, look to your Shepherd – He can see what you can’t; He knows what you don’t, or look to Him for help when you’re about to drink what you know you shouldn’t. His desire is for your wellness, He will lead you to water that is “good for you” and “in a safe place”. Ask, “Is this good for me? Is it safe?”
RESTORES MY SOUL: The green pastures and good, safe water has had its good effect.

“Restores” in the scripture can refer to “a straying sheep brought back” (Isaiah 49:5, Psalm 60:1). This is what a good shepherd does (read and remember His steady love – Ps. 103:8-13).
This phrase also means, “brings me to repentance”. Not only does He bring me back physically, He turns my desires around. I was desiring the wrong way and He turned my desires back to Him and what He gives – light & life. What good are green pastures, still waters, and a dark soul?
HE LEADS ME:

The Shepherd is a guide. The sheep do not need to know where the green pastures or still waters are, all they need to know is where the shepherd is.
IN THE PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS:

The Shepherd does not only comfort and restore, He guides the sheep into what is right. God’s guidance of us has (of course) a moral aspect. As we hear His voice, and obey His commands, He will lead us on the right path. There are many paths through life, fraught with danger, but in His goodness, He will guide us even when the way seems dark and foreboding…

https://www.ecoversity.org/code-of-ethics-principles

Some research for The Ross Ranch

https://www.angus.org/mobile/education/PDFs/PermanentIDFactsheet.htm

Advice for a beginner homesteader

Get chickens first, eggs & meat , easy, fairly inexpensive , then go for pigs ......

Pigs are good for the soul, you will get to love and hate them, they are pretty smart, I started a fb page recently, your welcome to follow us , start your own page and document the adventure , good memories will follow 

I will post a view play lists that I have created over time , they may be of value to you, listen to them while your driving and doing chores , get a head set if you do not have one and a robust data plan, lots of good podcasts out there as well

Farm Finance

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhhVyaUmOQurofWoa07n6P-abtcBApKGn&fbclid=IwAR0eU_sBzBuG7hK2dALKB0RwcByyyv56uyTBnKkQyHpZKPb_9wXpybC_wx4

Meadow Life

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhhVyaUmOQuqmAVQq6MO0qHxs8eoGyPqC&fbclid=IwAR3Fth6uvfOSyDfiwDH1Tv8_3438FXYqavrK7OszrWw4WK9tr8IAGDQd1zU

Homestead PLans

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhhVyaUmOQur-B4ftaiP8LV2KEOSbRltZ&fbclid=IwAR1RDO-WL4Ny3Z6S_cJp-FHc2a1oHVfe7YNQwlxLavstpPnmLT6ysEaBATw

The Ross Ranch

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhhVyaUmOQur-B4ftaiP8LV2KEOSbRltZ&fbclid=IwAR1RDO-WL4Ny3Z6S_cJp-FHc2a1oHVfe7YNQwlxLavstpPnmLT6ysEaBATw

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhhVyaUmOQur_JaAeOITdaw93SePSHj9L

I would follow Joel Salatin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Salatin

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhhVyaUmOQurypUqyMYSXChcF2RZxH8AD

Bio Security

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhhVyaUmOQup1RDnooIt-Pbje3p24cvFH

Seeders

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhhVyaUmOQupzVnJXmsKYwkLxfmocowx7

Veggies

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhhVyaUmOQupo1zOtdfd8Mku_hdrPRTdl

Herbs

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhhVyaUmOQuqghewNa-5oZBQyUmVWST0Z

Fields to Forks

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhhVyaUmOQupqtQqnLgTCItpdM_DLgTTe

Food Creations

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhhVyaUmOQuokKEaS0o9vPDoiub1eJVFV

Seed Saving

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhhVyaUmOQurwMn_cKIPCi4KnpU-yaKbg

Fermenting

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhhVyaUmOQuqJeBy53DiLRSZgW5MkYf3B

Ranch Cooking

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhhVyaUmOQuo63RgCOlJwEHoL5rQW9lEN

Rabbits

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhhVyaUmOQuoq2MtQ5Da03X9M2_iIVGR7

Have some Fungi Fun

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhhVyaUmOQuqYbiG1bH6SRAxbkLbrJhE-

Besure and follow Doug & Stacy https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChit3QKk051fCsqliwVrbuQ

https://www.playwrightsguild.ca/play/another-seasons-promise

I was reading a story  in the Ontario Farmer this evening about Keith Roulson and his career and life events. I came across this part that spoke about the farm crisis in 1980 with the high interest rates and the impact that had on so many farmers and how they lost their farms because of this.  Interest rates peaked at 23% and it was crippling , it was a painful, too painful at times.  This kinda hit home as I was one of those farm kids that was effected by this. I don't know the full effect it actually had on my mental being, since I am reminded about it, I plan to reflect on this and let it touch me once again and grow and deal with any ill effects it had. In the mean time, I'm going to find out some more about this play and seek  some peace in my heart regarding that time of my life and my parents life and my siblings lives. As the paper said, peole cae to watch the play as " they needed to unload this" .

Some other words of wisdom gleaned from the article.

Keith learned that people were more likely to support something that was community owned than an enterprise owned by n individual. He raised money for a new paper by selling shares to community members, many of his sales where considered simple donations for their community than an investment. 

He understood what was good about rural life and he did what he could to protect it. 

He was driven to maintain small papers and a rural voice in the face of a hostile world. ( remind me of the small Amish newsletter my dad subscribes to ) 

After 50 years he has stepped away from managing the magazine "The Rural Voice"  , thinking I should check that one out, I do not currently get it. 

City life did not appal to him, he missed being surrounded by nature. 

A strong interest in farming and admiration for what farmers do.

www.northhuron.on.ca/rural-voice

www.northhuron.on.ca/subscriptions

https://books.google.ca/books?id=wIRI2PDEEyQC&pg=PA7&lpg=PA7&dq=another+seasons+promise&source=bl&ots=vjHgOPfSoF&sig=qy-I2IZLn1FYiitRKqiYwjsGMfE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjM4-brqKbYAhUE2oMKHWwQBhkQ6AEITTAH#v=onepage&q=another%20seasons%20promise&f=false

The Field Behind The Plow 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUM8mXJre1c&index=31&list=PLhhVyaUmOQuq-3ZjWsulDtaPt02fRFC0B