Reading Time: 3 minutes Community development is more than economic or social projects. It is the empowerment of people so they have resilience when faced with change and challenge. After completing my courses on rural community development with the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) of the United Nations, I thought about what resilience might mean and how we can […] Read more
Communities are strong when their citizens are empowered
A strong leader is not enough — everyone needs to be involved and informed for communities to thrive
What do you want your fresh water used for?
Each of us needs to think about the sustainability of the limited supply of this most precious resource
Reading Time: 3 minutes It all began with industrious engineers who understood hydrology and the importance of water. They built dams and created wetlands throughout Canada, and in doing so had a system in place for water preservation and purification. Then the felt hat became fashionable, and those engineers ended up as pelts on long canoes for shipment to […] Read more
A simple dilemma and what it tells us about choices
Our lives have plenty of stress and conflict. Do we really want to invite in more when we don’t have to?
Reading Time: 3 minutes I often question our roles as persons in igniting, fuelling, or participating in conflict. Which is why I thought of my granddaughter who insisted one rainy day on wearing one sandal and one shoe. At some point, most children go through this valuable stage of expression, where they make choices that don’t fit what we […] Read more
Just what exactly does a ‘relationship’ with a vet involve?
New rules will require vets to have a fuller understanding of an operation before prescribing
Reading Time: 3 minutes The changes that Health Canada will implement on Dec. 1 require there be a relationship between the veterinarian, the client, and the patient. As the spokesperson and care provider for the patient — that may be animal, fowl, bee, or fish — it is important to know what that relationship requires. Health Canada refers to […] Read more
I can’t change the past, but I wish I could
Taking the kids along when working has long been seen as part of farming, but that needs to change
Reading Time: 3 minutes It was a long and tough winter on the Prairies. Once the sun shone, tractors were serviced, calves were born, cattle sorted, chickens hatched, seeds sown — I delighted in watching the many posts and videos that families shared during this time of rebirth on the farm. And then it hit me. Most included a […] Read more
Clever innovators have found new ways to bring us a cleaner plate
There are a host of flours made with unusual ingredients and they can also be used to make edible cutlery
Reading Time: 3 minutes I was thinking of my friend Ashley Fraser and the time I spent on his farm. The Australian innovator grew a variety of specialized seed crops for certified seed and birdseed, with the screenings going to the feed bunk ration. It was a waste-free way of looking at seed production and usage. In his climate […] Read more
A small conflict offers some larger lessons on finding solutions
The story of Sarah and Tom shows how easy it is for battle lines to be drawn and how they can be avoided
Reading Time: 3 minutes Sarah was mad at Tom for spending money on a new gun. She has been trying to manage on a tight budget for years and the kids needed new school boots with a long, wet spring just around the corner. Tom argued the money came from the portion of the budget they could both dip […] Read more
These are the five freedoms I believe every child deserves
As we nurture our children, we need to think about creating an environment in which they can thrive
Reading Time: 3 minutes I have been immersed in imagery lately while going to presentations on the animals and the people of this world. There have been beautiful photos of hope and human engagement as well as tragic visuals of war, rape, hunger, abandonment, and homelessness. I have enjoyed striking images of wild animals, endangered creatures, and lost habitat. […] Read more
There are many ways to view — and treat — soil
Healthy soil is a precious resource and we need to think more about that as we plan for our future
Reading Time: 3 minutes It is hard to imagine there is so little soil when we stand and look out at our vast landscapes where the ground lays in wait for the warmth of spring and the touch of the farmer’s hand. The shrinking global land base that is arable seems a country mile away and another farmer’s problem. […] Read more
Encouraging seed diversity is essential for the future
We should mourn the loss of diversity in older crop varieties and the concentration of seed ownership
Reading Time: 3 minutes One of the wonders of travel and of food is the vast varieties of plants that beautify our world. Many have medicinal and nutritional qualities and have been used for food or healing for thousands of years. Others are new hybrids that beautify the plate and add colour to our meal. They all have ancient […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
