Personal Commerce

After a worthwhile wait, it was finally time for us to pick up our new incubator.
The distributor is a poultry breeder who found there was a demand for his favourite incubator.
He lives just outside of Perth, which is quite a drive for us, but the outing alone was worth it.

Kira and I brought baby Meer along, while the other two kids spent the day with my Dad.
We chose the scenic route to get to Perth.
As we travelled east through the different highlands, we were surprised by the number of small and medium sized farms along the way. These were mostly built some time ago, but are still being used for their intended purpose.
It is a lot of trees and rocks along this run.  Many lakes and wetlands too.
As we pass the small farms, I wonder about who cut them out of this harsh environment.
And who is there now? What makes them want to farm way out in the roughlands of the Canadian shield?

Back into deep soil country, we found our destination.
This is the home and farm of Mason Heaton and his family.
They breed a variety of animals, but poultry is Mason's passion.
I lost track of the breeds that he keeps as we took the tour of the farm.
There are birds in all stages, from fertile eggs to ready to go breeders.
Mason sells eggs, chicks, grown birds, and now...
...incubators and accessories. It does seem to be a logical step.

The farm is home to rabbits, sheep, horses and cattle too.
Certainly, the main focus is the poultry.
There are chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, quail, and guinea fowl.
There may even be some emu in the future.
We did some browsing during the tour.
We are looking to expand our own farm with a new breed or two.

And so, we chose some duck eggs to take home with us to try in the new incubator.
So far, our decisions have been carefully thought through.
After a few seasons of livestock care, it wouldn't hurt to allow some impulse purchases.

Mason has taken on a significant responsibility.
That hasn't stopped him from making expansion plans.
He is searching for a niche through his passion.
Having gained a great deal of experience so far, he has a firm handle on the poultry raising business.
Constantly buying and selling, Mason has a keen awareness for market prices and differences of quality.
He also understands matters of integrity. His reputation will grow well because of it.

There are many venues for buying and selling farm products and equipment.
Everything from the 'big box' store style to auctions and classifieds.
By far, the greatest channel of commerce is within the respective communities.
It may be more cost effective to have purchases shipped.
It may be cheaper to buy at the corporate store.
But, the value of buying directly from the seller, or selling to the buyer, contributes a great deal to our culture.
Not only are we more likely to trade in good faith, but we also establish connections and experiences from which our future may benefit.

With each trip like this, we deepen our relationship to a community that was foreign to us only a few years ago.
The ability to participate in this social network will improve our resiliency as we encounter challenges.
Of course, it's also a great way to see some more country and meet some new friends.
Thanks Mason!



If you would like to contact Mason regarding his birds or poultry raising equipment, he can be reached through e-mail at:

masonheaton@gmail.com