Want to buy a farmhouse or house with acreage in Mission? Go ahead! Also, let us take a close look at the most significant benefits of living on a farm. Here are seven prominent reasons for living on a farm.

• For the sake of a better immune system: Life on a farm is healthier and gives you a better immune system which is essential to maintain long term health. Farm living can help you reduce your body’s immune system response towards various kinds of food proteins. As a result you are less likely to develop any allergies or allergic diseases to the food and environment. Farm living promotes the growth of regulatory T-lymphocytes in your system, these cells reduce inflammations and sooth the responses triggered by the immune systems.
• It prevents asthma and reduces risk of aerial allergies: Millions of children suffer from asthma, and it has been observed that the children living in farms, and areas connected to nature have a better chance at avoiding asthma or other related allergies. The city environment contains multiple harmful particles which when breathed in can trigger asthma and other related allergies via a response from the immune system. The overall health of the children benefits when subjected to a farm environment giving them higher resistance towards allergies and asthma. 
• It significantly improves the mental health: Various researched across the globe have shown that problems such as depression, personality disorders, schizophrenia and more can be countered in farm like environments with animals on the farm. It is observed that interaction with animals on the farm gives the patients a chance to cope with their conditions naturally and it improves their mental health significantly. Therefore, being in such an environment regularly can give you the best mental health for years to come.
• Great way to maintain fitness: Nothing beats the benefits of a fit body that you can get when working on a farm for several hours every day. Farm living encourages a physically active lifestyle and you can also imbibe the quality of fitness in your young ones while staying on the farm.
• Natural and organic produce for a healthy lifestyle: Fresh produce at your house with acreage or at your little hobby farm at your farmhouse is a great way to start that healthy lifestyle you’ve always dreamt of. The food you grow is more nutritious than packaged produce and you can relish on your favourite foods every day.
• Achieve that early to bed & early to rise routine: Farm life brings with it a more active routine and inculcates the habit of early to bed, early to rise. Yes, the early start would mean that you end your day early as well, but it is worth the effort and it helps you catch up on your precious sleep that is required to replenish the body’s energy. Having this schedule is extremely beneficial for all in the long run.
• Rejuvenate your body completely: Get kissed by the sun and get your dose of vitamin D regularly that is extremely important for the body. Not only do you get enough vitamin D to keep your body rejuvenated but you also have access to the fresh air which is clean and improves the oxygen levels in your body. All these factors combined keep you healthy, relieves stress and encourages you to exercise more.

Visit http://fraservalleyfarm.ca/ today and see the best options for farm houses, houses with acreage and more at your preferred location.

Agriculture never goes out of fashion and the farms for sale in Mission show the scope of farming in the future. With a lot of competition in the trade farmers today can become responsible members of the fraternity using organic farming. It is a great way to produce healthier crops and also offers sustenance to the business.

First, let us take a look at some prominent benefits of organic farming: 

Going GMO free with organic farming: Organic farming is done is done without using genetically modified seeds. In fact, all the food produced organically is free from genetic engineering. It is interesting to observe that all genetically modified crops have been subjected to glyphosate pesticides as their genetic makeover resists the herbicides.

Cost efficient approach: Organic farming is cost effective and it makes the farmer’s life easier by not using chemicals on their crops. It does require the farmers to identify the crops well suited for in their region along with the right growing techniques. It also helps the farmers get a better understanding of the overall organic farming practices.

It is more sustainable: Organic farming produces better results over a longer period of time. Apart from a healthy produce, it also improves the overall land productivity and using crop rotation the farmers can maintain the soil quality.

It is environment friendly and healthy: There is no denying the fact that the food produced organically does not contain harmful chemicals and thus it is healthier than the traditionally produced crops. Pesticides exposure not only harms the land and crops, it also has an adverse effect on the biodiversity and people consuming the food.

A relationship with nature: Nature itself has a healing process and given time it replenishes itself. Adding outside content like chemicals damages the ecosystem and can have adverse effects on the consumers in the future.

Therefore, organic farming can help fix this issue and also provides a lot of scope for creativity.

However, organic farming does come with its own set of challenges. Some of the prominent challenges have been listed in the following lines:

Quality standards: A little blemish in the appearance is often taken as a sign of low quality, whereas the consumers tend to ignore the fact that to achieve that perfect appearance a wide range of chemicals are used. Organic farmers have a tough time convincing people that food grown naturally is healthier.

Low profits: The land prices are expensive and organic crops take a significant time to produce. Along with that, the commercially produced crops are lower in prices which give the organic farmers less scope for earning more profits. There has been a paradigm shift recently and it is expected to flourish in the times to come.

Scale of production:  Organic crops cannot mass quantities like that of commercial crops and the organic methods are well suited for small and medium scale enterprises, but with things changing it is expected to catch up with the speed of conventional farming methods.  

Meaning of organic farming: When big brands like Wal-Mart begin producing their own organic product it is taken up by the masses anyway. But at times it comes down to a question of ethic. Is the organic produce actually pure? Maybe a farm-direct business model will help fill the gap and make for better meaning of organic.

Standardization needs to be streamlined: Organic certifications are exclusive and often the farmers producing the best produce don’t get the certification. Therefore, things need to be improved on this end as well.

Regardless of the challenges posed by organic farming, it is a catching field and holds a bright future. If you are also planning to start an organic farm then visit http://fraservalleyfarm.ca/ to find the best options.

Finding the right blueberry farms for sale in Mission is challenging enough, but if you are entering the blueberry business, there are things that you should be aware about when starting your venture. In the following lines we will discuss the planting techniques, maintenance and harvesting methods for blueberry crops. Take a look.

The right planting techniques:

• The soil should be acidic with a pH level between 4 or 5. Adding more organic matter into the soil will increase the blueberry’s tolerance to the underlying acidity. The soil should be capable of holding moisture whilst having draining capability to support these shallow rooted plants.

• Prior to setting the blueberry bushes, you should add additional organic matter into the soil. The right time for planting the bushes is early spring and 1 to 3 year plants from a well reputed nursery are the ideal choice for the process.

• The holes should be 20 inches in depth and about 18 inches in width, which is about twice the width and depth of the plant’s roots. The bushes should be placed in a row about five feet apart and approximately 8 feet apart between different rows. The planting mixture should consist of oak leaf mould (one part), loam (two parts), sawdust (aged), peat moss, compost, which should be placed in layers at the bottom.

• The bush should be set with its roots spread out and the depth should an inch more as compared to the one grown in the nursery in order to hold it tight with the soil. The fertilizer should not applied immediately but approximately one month after planting.

The right way to take care of the plantations:

• In order to keep the roots moist you should mulch them with two or four inch layer consisting of saw dust, woodchips and pine needles if required. This should be supplied by one or two inches every week.

• Protect your crops from the bird with drape nettings. These keep your crops safe and don’t let birds wreck your work. Apply the fertilizer regularly and manage the rate as per the expert advice. In order to get the best results do not let the crop fruit during the first two years of planting. You can pinch the upcoming blossoms to promote additional growth.

• Pruning the blueberry crops isn’t really necessary for the first 5 years. However, after that it has to be done regularly to improve the growth from the plants as new season begins. Ideal time for pruning should be either late in the winter or prior to the early spring before new growth breaks out. For best results get rid of short, spindly, weak and broken shoots.

• In case of high bush type plants always cut and remove the wood which stand older than six years or is crowding the bush’s centre or has dropped to the ground. Additionally you can get rid of branches growing low to avoid fruit touching ground along with removing spindly twigs.

• For Low Bush blueberries all stems should cut from the ground level. However, take note that there will be no fruit for a season after the pruning is done. To avoid losing all produce prune one portion at a time every three years.

Harvesting the fruit in the right manner:

• Typically the blueberry crops are ready around the middle of August. But do not haste in picking up the fruits. Just because they are blue doesn’t mean they are ready to pluck, wait for the right time and you will see how easily they are falling in your hand.

• In case of two year old plants, the blueberry crops bear he fruits in just one a couple of years if you pick the flowers the right way. In order to reach a full potential the plants require a period of six years. Once done harvesting, you can easily freeze them and enjoy them during the whole winter season.

Therefore, if you wish to start a blueberry farm today, visit http://fraservalleyfarm.ca/ to see a list of all blueberry farms up for grabs in your preferred locations.

When buying farms for sale in Mission,  and running a farming business, there is always a chance for a famer to make some buying mistakes. In the following lines we will discuss some of the most common purchase errors that farmers make in their business.

• Being influenced by others: One common mistake that farmers make is buyin what the supplier intends to recommend. It is obvious that they are always concerned about the profit. If you let your fertilizer vendor decide what will be put in your farm then  other vendors will continue to influenece your decisions. The way to stay clear of this is to be well informed and make decisions smartly.
• Incomplete equipment purchase: There is no logical explanation for not buying complete set of equipments together. However, may farmers tend to skip buying some equipments and leave the remainder for a later date. Usually this 'later' time never arrives and often leaves the farmers high and dry whenever they need a specific component at a certain point of time. Also, unbalanced buying practices and habbit of leaving out parts will also cost you more. Therefore, also plan out what you need in a sequence and make sure that you don't leave anything behind.
• Being a control freak: Often farmers make errors in their purchasing out of the fear of losing control on their land holdings. This fear controls them and leads to excessive purchasing of land during an expansion phase. They begin lacking in paying the rents or lease money just so they can have more land and mitigate their custom hiring costs.  Thus, it is important to have a control on the spending and create a balance between all grounds of the prospect. As the saying goes- 'Excess of everything is dangerous'.
• Having a closed approach: There are all sorts of vendors in the market and it isn't necessary that only the big ones will have the products you need. Contrary to the belief you might be surprised with the economical deals being offered by new or relatively smaller players. Therefore, always stay open to all the vendors and don't restrict yourself to buying from just the top players.
• Too much lag time: Waiting too long to do something isn't such a good idea. Be it land, or the seeds or the fertilizers. If you wait too long to buy something there can unforeseen occasions. What if you wanted to buy a land but you waited for another year and the land prices shot up dramatically, or you wanted to buy certain seeds sold by a company, but by the time you were waiting the company closed or merged  with someone making the seeds you need unavailable.
• Insufficient information: Another error made by farmers is buying stuff without having the right information about it. There is a lack of data collection or information gathering and this leads to some very bad purchase decisions. Before you go out to buy something make sure you have the right information from reliable resources.
• Decisions based on price alone: Yes, price is an important factor, but making it the only grounds for decision making will not serve well everytime. Not every expensive product is of high quality, nor is it neccessary that all the good options  will come at  a higer price. To avoid this price based decision making, educate yourself constantly and be aware of all the developments in you related trade.

Therefore, get all the details about product before buying and have a successful farming career ahead. Visit http://fraservalleyfarm.ca/ today and find the land of your dreams.

Looking at farms for sale in Mission? Farming ventures are always a great idea but sometimes farmers tend to do things the wrong way. Therefore, in this article we will take a look at sustainable agriculture and how it can be instrumental for a farming venture.

Before we move to ways of implementing sustainable agriculture in your practices, we will try to understand what sustainable farming is all about. Have a look.

• Difference between organic and sustainable farming: Remember, that sustainable farming is not the same as organic farming by any means. While organic farming only refers to food which is grown naturally without using  synthetic chemicals. Although both of them aim to encourage ecological practices, they are not the same. Sustainable agriculture mitigates the potential risks of organic farming such as damaged ecosystems, loss of nutrients in soil etc.

• Understanding the meaning of sustainable farming: Sustainable farming is a practice to produce an indefinite amount of food while avoiding any drastic changes to the land, utilizing resources like water optimally and generating a steady flow of income whilst focusing on the overall infrastructure development.

• Resource management practices: Sustainable farming aims at using resources in such a way that they are replenished at the same pace as consumption. Analyse your resource inputs such as soil, water and energy being used to feed livestock. Along with that we also need to focus on long term productivity and capital investments.

Now that we understand what sustainable farming is all about, it is time to look at ways that will help you in incorporating this practice with your farming schedule. In the following points we will take a look at some simple ways that will help you follow a sustained farming venture.

• Elimination of waste: Implement the ‘three R’ practice, which helps segregate everything on the farm into three main categories mainly reduce, reuse and recycle. This practice is sustainable and also gives economic benefits to in the long run. Be creative and use the resources to their optimal potential and incase there is something you don’t really need, sell it or give it away to someone who can use it.

• Promote biodiversity on your farm land: It is a good idea to use polyculture on your farm as it produces less waste and reduces the consumption of fuels. Use breeds which are well suited with the environmental settings in your area in order to yield the best results. Crop rotation is another great way to keep the soil rich in nutrients. A combination of both crops and livestock can be a game changer in your farming business.

• Take care of your farm’s surroundings: The surroundings of the farm are often ignored. They should be taken care of diligently, having trees around the farms will help in making the place more airy and will also protect crops from winds. With enough green cover natural predators like spiders will rise and eat any bugs that can damage your crops.
• Having the right people on the farm: Always hire people who are committed to work hard on the farm and get things done in the right way. You can reduce use of fossil fuels by increasing manpower on the farm. Skilled labor knows the complexity of sustainable agriculture and will also give the right advice when needed.

Farming is a lot of work and thus must have a sustained operational mechanism. To find the right farm for your venture visit http://fraservalleyfarm.ca/ and create a farming business that is sustained and will help you reap benefits for years to come.

Do you wish to buy a farm for sale in Mission, Abbotsford, Chilliwack and other nearby areas? You are just a click away from realizing that dream. But before we move forward, we would like to shed some light on a few mistakes that farmers often make when starting their own farm. Let's take a look at some mistakes that you should certainly avoid:

• Assuming a lot of things at the start: Whenever the farmers set out on a new farming venture they tend to lose their acts and assume a lot of things right from the start. There are instances when they ignore certain details which they believe are not important from farming point of view. Things such as testing out the soil, creating a fence etc. are considered to be more of an expense rather than a smart investment. Assuming such activities to be unimportant can lead to significant losses in the long run.
• Gathering data from unreliable resources:  Farming is a very intricate process and takes a lot of time to produce a single crop. In many cases it happens that the farmers ignored the signs of weak growth in their crops at the start. They consulted unreliable resources to get a solution to the problem, maybe someone suggested that they should add more nitrogen to the soil, in turn the crops declined even further due to excessive nitrogen content. Therefore, whenever you are going into the farming business, only consult the experts and gather information from reliable sources only.
• Not taking proper care of the produce: No matter what crop you are growing on your farm land, it is important to have each and every detail under check during the entirety of the cultivation process. At times the farmers might ignore certain details and avoid spraying the crops on time, this can be the start of a deteriorating crop that would be full of infections. A little effort everyday will help the farmers get the most out of their crops.
• Putting all eggs in one basket: With a lot of media exposure and multiple success stories in farming being aired on TV one is often tempted to make the most of their investment. As a new farmer you must remember that  each journey will begin from the bottom and then make a way up the ladder. Enough land and adequate water supply is enough to start a successful farming venture, provided you play all the cards right and sow the seeds for the right crops depending upon your soil.  Always avoid putting in all your money into huge machinery and avoid unnecessary practices that will be an expense and not an investment. 
• Overestimating the potential: Who doesn't like to dream big? We all do, but there needs to be a strong connect to the reality. Having dreams of becoming a millionaire with minimal effort in farming isn't a good idea. Do no scale up your projection or put more money into extra land that you can't control just because you have dreams. With more land, you will need to do additional work and this will soak you dry physically, mentally and economically. In many cases farmers have ended up in hefty losses due to lack of control on their own business.

Therefore, start small and build your way to success gradually. The most amazing teacher of them all- experience will show you new possibilities and you will become a successful farmer in no time.  Be committed to your work and take the aforementioned points into keen consideration. To see a list of best farms in the region, visit http://fraservalleyfarm.ca/

Every farmer wants to get the most out of their crop and looks forward for ways to increase their overall agricultural productivity. Farms for sale in Mission are a great place to invest and start a new farming venture. Let’s take a look at some of the most important ways that can help improve productivity in the field:

1.    Logistics Support: In order to have higher productivity and allow the farmers to sell their produce in more markets across various cities it is important to have a well-developed logistics system in place. This will allow them to work with new technologies and help them attain a respectable income as well.

2.    Right Irrigation Measures: There is no denying the fact that the overall productivity of the crop will be directly proportional to the irrigation it receives. Thus, it is very important to have tube wells and canals created in the right manner for improved crop production. Along with this, measures should be in place to curb any damages caused due to natural calamities.

3.    Marketing Strategy: Farmers should be well informed with the concepts of marketing as well. Their views widened and their beliefs strengthened will make for better selling of products with more profits to the farmers. Also, the minimum prices for produce should be regulated by the authorities.

4.    High Quality Inputs: In order to have bountiful crops farmers must use the inputs of highest quality in their farming practices. They need to stay informed about the latest farming techniques, developed seeds for increased production and use quality fertilizers to help raise crops.

5.    Training & Development: There is no age or time to learn. In fact, the farming industry today requires the farmers to constantly improve their skills. They need to adopt new advancements and make share that they share their skills with the team to help them grow and work proficiently in the field. This will create synergy among all members involved and help the farmers to take good care of their crops whilst enhancing the overall productivity.

6.    Optimal Use Of Land: While manual farming techniques used to have a random pattern of plantation, today with the help right tools and machinery it is possible for the farmers to make optimal use of the land at their disposal. Seeders, harvesters and other farming equipment can help in sowing the seeds at optimum distances and this creates a right measure to get the most production out of the available land. It reduces wastage and improves the time taken to actually do the tasks.

7.    Understand Local Land Reforms: Another important thing for farmers is to learn about the rules and regulations regarding the land in their area. Every state might have different rules concerning taxes, water laws and more. They must be fully aware of the lay of the land both physically and economically. They must make sure that all the regulations are taken into proper consideration before starting any crop farming.

8.    Land Evaluation: Not every piece of land is suitable for all kinds of crops. The farmers must check their soil type and take a look at their resources. This will help them identify the right kind of crop based on the nature of the land and thus help them cultivate and optimal produce that can be sold for a higher profit. In case of absence of these measures, they might end up cultivating a low quality crop that was never suitable for their land in the first place. Therefore, having this knowledge is a big boon for the farmers.

Visit http://fraservalleyfarm.ca/ and find the finest farmlands to start your very own farming project today. 

8 Imperative Ways for Improving Overall Agricultural Productivity

Ever wondered what is the sustainable future for the farming industry? If you want to look at farms for sale in Mission or wish to get a house with acreage, it is a good idea to look into a sustainable form of farming now. Organic farming is the right future for farming and in the following we will understand how. 

Organic farming first came into light during the early 1940s in Britain. The whole approach of organic farming revolved around creating a rich and bountiful crop by making use of natural practices like crop rotation to restore the soil’s nutrition in a natural way without any use of pesticides, weedicides or chemical fertilizers. 

This idealistic approach has always been challenged by the likes of more commercially sound chemical based agricultural practices. However, in the present day scenario there is a constant debate as to why the chemical based cultivation should take a step back and way should be paved for a healthier alternative in the form of organic farming. 

Agronomists across the globe have shown serious concern towards the practice of using chemical fertilizers. The approach isn’t considered viable for a sustainable future as it affects the soil integrity adversely and this makes organic farming all the way more important in the present day scenario.

Although a lot many farmers use low tillage methods to keep their soil quality up to the mark, they are yet to adopt the organic methods completely. Like any other change, this one will also take its time, but having an understanding of the various benefits can be an added motivation for new and experienced farmers alike. 

Very intensive farming affects the biodiversity negatively and leads to soil erosion which also takes away the necessary nutrients from the soil. To combat this situation the farmers can use a cover crop like rye that can help fix the nitrogen levels from the atmosphere itself. These crops are good at keeping down the weeds and helps the soil to regain its nutrients whilst adding to the nitrogen content without the use of harmful chemicals. 

Let’s take a closer look at some more environmental benefits of organic farming in the following lines:

• It helps in building a healthier soil: Organic farming improves the soil quality naturally and has even proved to work better than no till farming. This adds to the fact that treating the soil with harmful chemicals will only spoil it in the future.

• A way to supress global warming: Organic farming also helps in dealing with the greatest environmental threat today- global warming. It is estimated that if about 10,000 medium sized farms switch to organic farming the amount of carbon stored in the soil would be equal to that of over a million cars taken off from the road. This practice makes soil sustainable which makes it more susceptible to climate change. 

• It helps to conserve water: Wavering water supplies can be a possibility and are often perceived as a genuine threat. In order to protect water health and reserves it is suggested to switch to organic farming. Organic farming conserves water in more than one way and even the crops grown naturally require less water for irrigation.
• Prevents growth of toxic plants: Some toxic plants like algal blooms can have an adverse effect on the people’s health. These plants can be a roadblock in the regional economies. One of the primary causes for these are chemical based fertilizers and these can be avoided easily by going organic. 

Create your very own organic farm today. Find the right piece of land here at http://fraservalleyfarm.ca/ and get the best of options at competitive prices.

Hydroponics is the future of farming and is set to meet the ever growing of food in the future. It is a practice that means producing crops which are rich in nutrients by using a nutrient rich water solution to deliver the desired minerals straight into the roots. When talking about starting the process to buy a farm for sale in Mission, considering hydroponics is a good move.

Despite not being popular the practice is being implemented by some in the farming industry today to produce better crops with less efforts and come with a solution for the ever increasing food demand.

In case you are wondering how crops can be grown without soil, then here is the answer. Hydroponics uses artificial supports to hold the plants upright whose roots are introduced with the water solution that provides all the nutrients, mineral and ionic compounds required. This practice ensures that the farmers will put in the right amount of everything and thus have total control on the growing environment.

There are multiple ways to deliver the solution to the roots:

• Take an inert substance like rock wool, or volcanic glass perlite to have the roots flooded with a solution periodically
• The inert substance can be supported with rainwater using a solution dripper
• Spraying the plants with their roots in the air
• Using a slight slope film that lets the solution trickle down to the targeted roots.

There is a certain level of mechanisation in all the systems mentioned above and it is usually done with the help of a pump. The whole solution is aerated so that there is no dearth of oxygen for the roots and they can flourish while absorbing the energy and proper respiration.

This brings up the question that what are the pros of this form of farming. Some of the most notable ones have been mentioned in the points below:

Produce crops in increased numbers: With the help of a wide range of nutrient solutions, greenhouses, adequate and artificial lighting along with heaters and wide range of added equipment the crops can be developed faster. This can help you yield a far better crop than the traditional practices at any time of the year.

An eco-friendly approach in the trade: The biggest advantage of opting for hydroponics is that you can recycle the water being put in the system. If we denote in numbers then hydroponics only make use of 10% of water as compared to traditional farms. Thanks to the closed system of the practice the nutrients are retained and not leached away. This reduces the fertilizer usage down by 75% as compared to the traditional farming approach. Another major benefit is minimal use of pesticides due to the absence of soil based pests and any existing ones in a controlled environment can be dealt easily.

Opportunity to expand in areas not suited for traditional farming: The efficient use of water can help you venture into unexplored territory. This can be a boon to create farming reserves in areas with scarce amount of water and more plants can be grown side-by-side as compared to farming in soil making it space efficient as well. The environment inside the farming areas can be controlled artificially, therefore abandoned locations like unused railway tunnels can be put to good use.

Reduced transportation costs: These crops can be cultivated near the areas they are required and can play a major role in reducing vehicle emissions whilst providing fresh produce to locals.

Thanks to the versatility of the technique farmers can grow same crops without having to worry about loss in soil nutrients or crop rotation. Do you also have an idea to start your farm? Visit http://fraservalleyfarm.ca/ today to find the land best suited for your needs.

The benefits of living in a house with acreage in Mission are many and the warm home can serve as a great place to celebrate the festive spirit with your loved ones. But even when we are preparing our home for Christmas and the harsh winter that comes with it, we can tend to miss out on the following things. Here are a few measures that you can take to have a nicely maintained home during winters.

Protecting the pipes is a good idea: We have pipes all across the house and locations such as attics, basements, and outer walls are prone to go into freezing during the harsh weather. In case you are expecting very cold temperature prepare in advance and let the water drip from both the cold and hot faucets throughout the night.  If you keep the cabinet doors open then the warm air can circulate in spots. However , in order to deal with the pipes in the aforementioned areas you can always arrange for some extra insulation around them .

Having an energy efficient design: Your house will have a constantly running heating system in order to cope up with the harsh winters. In these times there are some things you can do to make your home energy efficient:

• Changing HVAC filters regularly
• Check the insulation for crawlspace and attic
• Insulate the ceilings in your house as heat escapes upwards
• Seal other areas like attic hatch, recessed lights, plumbing vents and more
• Maintain proper ventilation across attic and house interior
• Install storm windows for keeping the cold at bay
• Using fireplace to keep the place warm
• Prevent heat loss using the dampers at the bottom of firebox or keep a nearby window slightly open while keeping doors closed
• Always keep firewood stored in a dry place at least 25-30 feet from fireplace

Always be prepared for contingencies: Winter months can also bring in some snow and create blackouts unexpectedly. Therefore, you need to be proactive and ready yourselves for any contingencies that may occur. Here are some things you can use to be ready for any situation:

• Fully functional flashlights
• Food items that don't perish
• Warm blankets
• Bottled drinking water
• Contact information of all the utility companies
• Stacked first aid kit
• Proper backup for electronic devices like computers, a good battery backup can do the trick
• If you own an emergency generator, the make sure that you store the gasoline safely so that you can use it when you need it.

Decorating the place responsibly: Amidst that festive spirit it is possible that we may lose track of some safety measures while decorating our places. Therefore, always make sure that you decorate the place safely. Here are a few pointers:

• Inspect all the wires carefully before turning them on
• Check the Christmas tree and its decorations thoroughly before lighting it up
• Check for any natural wear and tear to the wiring that might have occurred during storage
• Keep a check of tree disposal methods set by the local authorities once the new year blooms.

And last but not the least keep your yard clear at all times. Regular maintenance helps you stay clear of rodents and allows you to keep a check on all changing things in the area. Always keep a track of any cracks or opening around the house that can reduce the warmth or let the mice enter your place.  To buy  a house with acreage in Mission, Abbotsford, Chilliwack and more visit http://fraservalleyfarm.ca/ today.

When you think of a farming business and go out to look for farms for sale in Mission, then a piece of land isn't the only thing you would require. A farming business always needs a big list of farm equipment which is required to make things function on a farm. In this article we will take a look at some of the most important things that a farm owner needs in order to begin cultivating crops.

• It all starts with a tractor: Having a tractor on the farm is the most basic of all needs. It is a farming equipment which is used to pull other equipment and has versatile uses as well. You can use it for a wide range of uses like as a front loader or a means to spread manure. You can also use it do both small scale and large scale jobs at the farm. Tractors primarily come in different types- two wheel drive, former with a front assist and a four wheel drive.

• Ploughing all the way: Any crop requires you to prepare the land in advance. A plough is used to break up the land and is also used to turn soil in order to deal with the vegetations like weeds. Its main purpose is to till, followed by a harrow. Different kinds of ploughs include mouldboard ploughs, disc ploughs and chisel ploughs.

• A step forward towards harrows: Secondary tillage is known as harrows and they are used after ploughing in the first step. It is used to make the soil more functional and breaks down the clods in it thus making the plant growth better. The harrows affect the whole soil in the field and farmers make use of different types of harrows actively in modern day farming. Some notable harrows that you can use include chain harrow, spring harrow, disc harrow and roller harrow.

• Plant them with a seeder: As the name suggests, a seeder is used to sow seeds in the farm and they come in a wide range of options. Broadcast seeder is one of the most commonly used one and is used in seeding grass or even for the purpose of spreading salt in Canada. Some notable types of seeders include air seeder, box drill seeder and planters.

• Time to spread some fertilizer: Another important task after ploughing the land and planting the seeds is to add fertilizer to it. Broadcast spreader can be used for this task. Commonly used spreaders include manure spreaders which help spreading solid livestock manure and slurry spreaders used for more liquid forms of manure.

• Bring in the harvester: Better known as a combine, this equipment is one of the most important ones on the farming business. It has multiple functions and can be used for harvesting crops, separating parts of the crop(edible/non edible) and winnowing. Modern day combines can also help you in analysing how well a particular field did during a season.

• Wrap it up: And the final step in the process is to bring together the hay, corn stalks, and stray together to form a round bale or maybe a square one if you prefer. All this is done using a baler- which is a fine tuned equipment. Straws can also be utilized as bedding for your livestock at the farm. Straws help them stay healthy, while corn stalks also helps them to eat up. Square and round balers are the most commonly used ones with different size options.

Now that you have the knowledge about the right equipment it is time to find the perfect land to start that dream farm. Visit http://fraservalleyfarm.ca/ today and have a look at myriad of options before taking a final decision.

The world of farming is becoming competitive everyday and with increased number of farms for sale in Abbotsford, Langley, Mission, Chilliwack and other nearby areas are attracting new and young individuals into the world of farming. But how do you know what path to embark on when starting a new farm or taking over an existing one in the neighbourhood. Let's see how to go about it.

Location of the farm: For any farm, location is of prime importance and it plays an integral role in deciding what sort of product you should grow on your farm. Different farming types are suited for different kinds of land. The general location, distance from the local markets and logistics costs- they all go hand in hand with the farming practices.

Market positioning of your product: Whenever starting a business in farming, it is important to do your homework and find out market positioning for your produce. It is an option that should be taken into careful consideration and thus the following things should be brought to attention:

• How realistic is your vision and will your farming product be sought after in the market?
• What is the current state of competition for the product?
• What will be your unique selling proposition (USP) when selling your products?
• Are you committed to provide a high quality of service to your clients?
• Will you be able to create a buzz about your product in the market?

Once you've successfully done your market positioning and have got the perfect location in mind to start your business, all you need to do is do some farm planning. Farm planning is a complex process in itself and the following points must be taken into close consideration to have a streamlined plan:

Creating a business plan: Unlike any other business you will need to have a business model ready with information regarding each and every detail of the business. Follow up the planning with a SWOT analysis to identify your strengths, get an idea of your weaknesses, create plans to exploit opportunities and handle threats in due time.

Creating a production plan: Each and every type of plantation will require different kinds of soil, and will bring with it a world of requirements like labour and more. In order to cope up with this you must create an effective production plan. This will include things such as buildings, land, process details, equipment etc. as per the local laws stated for the business. In addition to this, you will be required to do a thorough research about your land, general farming practices and local markets.

Get the required equipment: The cost of equipment and storage should be included into the business plan right from the start. Both of these things are essential to maintain a farm efficiently and will play a major role in your business success. Whatever crop you want to raise, it will come with its own set of equipment requirement. Thus always be prepared to bring in updated tools.

Financial requirements: You can avail finance from banks or lending institutions with specific deals for agriculture business. These institutions offer risk management and investment solutions for a wide range of services and products related to the trade. In many areas the lending institutions support economic growth in this sectors and also provide micro-financial services for your various agricultural needs.

Along with the aforementioned details you should always keep an open mind and take any new training opportunities that you can get your hands on. You can visit http://fraservalleyfarm.ca/ to see the list of best farmlands in your desired location today!