• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

2-8-09 economy

Hay Feeder

Well-known member
We had a real pretty day wonderful weather however no one moving around or doing anything
Went to a traveling tool auction to see what was going on(never been to one before) usually most people in town go just to visit very small crowd. .
A modular home sold at auction yesterday to be moved a 2005 model $25,000 and it sold to be moved.
A local farm store (chain name) only checker and manager working all other employees usually 3 other off today all day. Three people in the store just looking like myself.
Asked a very small independent trucker about hauling hay 80 miles. He told me if I pay for the gas he would haul for $3 a bale. He claims he has not hauled hay this winter.
A lot of people just setting home several just do not even start their pickups
Gas is 1.73 Diesel is 2.16..
The truck repo man is very busy he is getting a lot of half ton pickups some 3/4 tons but few tons.
 

Denny

Well-known member
My son and nephew work at Mills Fleet Farm.They are a farm store,lumber yard,hunting suppley, clothing,automotive you name it store.Joe worked 4 hours this weekend none last weekend and Cody is'nt on the schedule until late March.It's a very big place with 50 to a 100 working when it's busy they don't have near that many right now.The only thing we've bought this winter is our summer diesel nothing else but our daily expense's.I've been hauling Distillar's Syrup since last monday 17 loads all I bought was fuel $360 worth and 2 ,12 packs of Pepsi.I would look at the deli stuff at the gas station but $4.49 for 6 chicken drummies is to much.I've got a tractor that needs a clutch put in and the repair shop called and said they would do it for $300 labor even at that price I will turn the wrench's myself I can use the $300 elsewhere as we have no trailers to build this winter.Traffic was busy today but not like normal years.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Yeah- really slowing down around here too...After Church this morning, Grandma and I went for coffee- and I talked with several folks that are without jobs right now- most on unemployment...Railroad has laid off or fuloughed some- cancelled all training and promotions...My SIL's Dad was up looking for farm work or something..He was one of the big bunch they laid off at the mine at Big Timber.. He said with all the out of work folks in the southern part of the state theirs little chance of finding another job there... Some of the construction folks said the weather has been nice enough to work- but the projects are on hold- and they're not sure if they're going to be completed...

Except for the Sunday morning crowd- I don't know how some of the restaurants are staying open- never anyone in them in the evenings anymore....
 

Blkbuckaroo

Well-known member
You guys story is depressing but true,and i hear that same song everyday,from lots of folks,cut hours,layoffs,stores closing,everyone stays home as best they can,but the bills keep coming in.Gotten to a point where there's 30 people applying for one low paying position.But that traveling tool sale is fun to go look at,better if ya' got some money to spend.Anyway,even if you go window shopping,it at least gets ya' out of the house.
 

per

Well-known member
We have been so overheated here that most stores and restaurants have been short of staff. No one willing to work in agriculture at all and if you could find someone, starting wage has been $20/hr at least here near Calgary. I am not wishing our economy goes into the tank at all, but being able to find willing workers and to have service at a store would be nice. Sure hope the situation in your State picks up so we can all find equilibrium.
 

Blkbuckaroo

Well-known member
per said:
We have been so overheated here that most stores and restaurants have been short of staff. No one willing to work in agriculture at all and if you could find someone, starting wage has been $20/hr at least here near Calgary. I am not wishing our economy goes into the tank at all, but being able to find willing workers and to have service at a store would be nice. Sure hope the situation in your State picks up so we can all find equilibrium.
There's alot of guys around here that would love a job in the Ag sector,just not much available,and for $20 bucks an hour i'd work seven days a week all the OT i could get.Who'd turn that down?Amazing.
 

per

Well-known member
Blkbuckaroo said:
per said:
We have been so overheated here that most stores and restaurants have been short of staff. No one willing to work in agriculture at all and if you could find someone, starting wage has been $20/hr at least here near Calgary. I am not wishing our economy goes into the tank at all, but being able to find willing workers and to have service at a store would be nice. Sure hope the situation in your State picks up so we can all find equilibrium.
There's alot of guys around here that would love a job in the Ag sector,just not much available,and for $20 bucks an hour i'd work seven days a week all the OT i could get.Who'd turn that down?Amazing.

Before someone points it out that is $20 Canadian and the cost of living here is quite high. I'm sure however that you wouldn't have trouble finding a job in the Ag sector here. Not sure of immigration rules though. There is a test that uses language, education, etc to see if it is a go. 25 points if you have a PHD and a similar amount if you speak English and French.
 

jodywy

Well-known member
Simplot working the new Temp only a few days a week, the fulltime crews working full shifts. Few guys in the gas patch been talking about stacked riggs and slow downs. biggest group that looking is the Hammer slammers, the have over built too many spec homes in the subdivisions.
there some part time work night herding for the winter calvers.
 

Faster horses

Well-known member
I think it is (was) much easier for a Canadian to work in the USA than for an American to work in Canada.

That info came from a good source too, as my banker told me this. He has a good friend who is Canadian, lives in Canada and has a business in the USA.
 

leanin' H

Well-known member
We usually bid 3 to 6 jobs a month and hope to get the contracts on 1 or 2. I havent bid anything since November. I have work lined out through April but then it looks pretty bleak. There's a lime plant south of us 70 miles that has guys only getting 25 hours weekly and a mill that shut down totally for 6 weeks. We usually head to town once a week for groceries and fuel but have cut back to once or twice a month to save. It's sure easy to drop 50 or 100 bucks in town but a little tougher when ya don't go! :wink: Im a lot luckier than folks in town as I have lots a stuff to keep me going like the cows, garden in summer, cutting cedar post and pine poles to sell, guiding, day work for neighbors and a hundred other things that only require some sweat and time. I may get to build some drift fences across the mountain if things stay slow. Hope everybody can stay afloat and do what it takes to ride this out. I just wonder how long a ride it'll be?
 

jkvikefan

Well-known member
Last Thursday I was in my truck traveling back home from a short day of hoof trimming. The weather was as nice as we have had for 6 weeks. I was thinking about the dismal economy. As I drove by the high school , I glanced into the parking lot. You would have needed a shoehorn to get another car in. A couple miles down the road , I went past a car wash(the kind that let's you stay in the car as you drive through and costs about $10) there was a line of close to 20 cars waiting to get their cars washed. So much for a ressesion.
 

Blkbuckaroo

Well-known member
jkvikefan said:
Last Thursday I was in my truck traveling back home from a short day of hoof trimming. The weather was as nice as we have had for 6 weeks. I was thinking about the dismal economy. As I drove by the high school , I glanced into the parking lot. You would have needed a shoehorn to get another car in. A couple miles down the road , I went past a car wash(the kind that let's you stay in the car as you drive through and costs about $10) there was a line of close to 20 cars waiting to get their cars washed. So much for a ressesion.
Well it's at least good to know kids are staying in school,let's just hope there's work for them after they graduate.Or better yet thier parents are working so they can get a further education.
 

Hay Feeder

Well-known member
Actually some people are buying late model cars and trucks from our local dealers. Last week saw a new ford and chevy pull off the lot at the same time both headed north.
Kinda funny a man the watched the 4 year old house sell for 25,000 thought that was to high after it was to moved while taking to a man about a $28,000 dollars 2007 big dodge truck he thought the ton dually was a better buy.
Interesting how people think.
 

floyd

Well-known member
It will probably get worse before it gets better. That is the hard part.

There is still alot of corn stored on the farms instead of being sold.

Truck & train traffic is down in Oregon.
 

per

Well-known member
There is a dodge dealer in Calgary offering a car with every truck purchased. Not sure how small of a car and how overpriced the truck is.
 

Nicky

Well-known member
per said:
There is a dodge dealer in Calgary offering a car with every truck purchased. Not sure how small of a car and how overpriced the truck is.

Heard that's happening in Boise too.
 

per

Well-known member
jkvikefan said:
Better buy them Dodges while you can. Chrysler has just about ran through all of their bailout money.

Is giving cars with the purchase of a truck a wise use of our tax payers dollars? :? :? :???: :???: What are they thinking? :???: Or is it smart marketing because when Chrysler goes broke you will be able to get around with the car when you can't get a part for your truck?
 
Top