Better Farming Prairies | November/December 2023

50 Story Idea? Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Farming | November/December 2023 can do those sports until late in life. Choices If you are retired, you have the time to do anything you enjoy, and you don’t have to worry whether what you are doing makes money or even makes sense. Here are a few questions you need to ask yourself to help decide what works best for you. What do you want to do? This has to be somewhat practical but not always. If you are married, you should find something that you both can agree on doing. Your spouse may object to turning the spare bedroom into a roost for your racing pigeons. Or your idea of rebuilding motorcycles in the living room might be vetoed. Try and find a common hobby or pastime you both enjoy. Do you like meeting people? Camping or travelling can be a very social experience if you make it that way. Or maybe you just like puttering around in your garden or shop. What can you afford? Many of us dream of the things we would like to have but reality usually interrupts. The enjoyment of retirement, like travelling, isn’t dependent on whether you travel first class or coach. It’s about enjoying the experience. Whether you travel in a huge RV or a little converted van, it’s the places you will see that matter. Collections can be huge or small, but like what you collect. Don’t be scared to spend some money if you have it. Isn’t that why you worked so hard? What are you able to do? As we get older, we generally get a bit slower and have a few medical issues. Be realistic with your expectations. Maybe you can’t work your way around the world on a freighter in your seventies, but don’t wait too long to do those bucket list items or you won’t be able to do them at all. My dear wife retired from many years of keeping the books correct and up-to-date at our business and is now working harder than ever in the garden and has 15 hens to keep her busy. And what about me you ask? As I’ve passed the marker and am now receiving government handouts monthly, perhaps I should change my lifestyle. Unfortunately I like the work I do (a man who loves his job never works a day in his life) but just want to do a bit less of it. We’ll see how that works. I have a yard full of old cars I might fix someday, thousands of books to read and collections of all kinds of “treasures” to enlarge. While I get to that, enjoy the fall and plan your golden years. BF UNLEASH POWER & PRECISION. ECHO CHAINSAWS PROVIDE THE POWER AND DURABILITY TO MAKE LIGHT WORK OF THE TOUGHEST JOBS. ECHO.CA STARTING AT $32995 MSRP CS-310 30.5 cc Available in 14” & 16” bar lengths Fits up to 20” bar P/N #99988801210 FREE Toughchest™Chainsaw Case with purchase of a CS-310 chainsaw $7695 VALUE ECHO CUTTERS KIT SAFETY CHAPS, HELMET & GLOVES ONLY $11495 MSRP $143.95 SAVE 25% #96960000004 SAVE $300 FOR ONLY $1,999 95 MSRP $2,299.95 LS25 Logsplitter 59.8 cc Available in 18”, 20” & 24” bar lengths CS-590 STARTING AT $62995 MSRP SAVE $30 Visit your local ECHO Dealer for more information: St Andrews Parts & Power St Andrews — 204-953-0030 Greenland Equipment Ltd Carman — 204-745-2054 Stringer Rentals & Power Gimli — 204-642-7490 MANITOBA Alberta Forest & Garden Calgary — 403-248-0878 Butte Motors & Farm Supply Picture Butte — 403-732-4406 Ar-Jay’s Lawn, Garden & Snow Edmonton — 780-476-0448 Greg’s Repair Lethbridge — 403-315-0495 Father & Sons Power Equipment Calgary — 403-259-4555 The Accessories Shop High River — 403-601-3853 Xtreme Power Products Camrose — 780-679-0051 St. Paul — 780-645-4639 Vegreville — 780-632-7780 Westlock — 780-349-4888 ALBERTA Future Ag Coronation — 403-578-3747 Olds — 403-556-6711 Red Deer — 403-343-6101 Stettler — 403-742-3740 Tractors, Trucks & Growing Grain RON SETTLER Ron has farmed for over 45 years in Lucky Lake, Sask. In addition to grain farming, he and his family also operate a mechanical repair shop.

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