Many people think that farming is a 3 season activity in Canada. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

The winter months can be among your most productive as a farmer. Whether you spend your time tending to livestock or networking with other farmers there is never a better time than now to plan for the coming season and accomplish the prep and planning tasks that successful farmers know are so important.

The winter is a perfect time to look forward to the coming season and ensure that farm equipment meets the project requirements and is in good working order.

It’s important to properly store of equipment. Rust is the enemy of metal equipment. If metal equipment is left outside, it will rust and deteriorate faster than if it is kept inside,  and out of the elements. If inside storage space is not available on your farm, use heavy-duty tarps to cover farm equipment when not in use.

In the winter inspect your equipment well. Worn parts need to be replaced and make any needed adjustments. Make sure your equipment is clean and dry, especially moving parts.  Remember if you use a pressure washer to keep water away from sealed bearings. After drying, lubricate moving parts and protect it from the elements. Treat any bare metal on all farm equipment with grease or use rust-preventive solvent spray. If you can keep moisture away from bearings and unpainted critical steel parts, this will help prevent rust.

A shop built for farm equipment will pay off in the long run. If you are building or expanding a shop, consider the size of all your equipment and the area inside to perform your maintenance tasks. Consider space for storage shelves and enough room around the equipment to perform maintenance and repair.

Some off-season effort can lead to much better productivity in the growing season.

If you are ready to consider acquiring new equipment or investing in a farm shop, the Canadian Grants Business Center can help. Find funding at:

http://www.canadiangrantsbusinesscenter.com/Funding-Finder.html