Reading Time: 3 minutes I continue to witness arguments over different methods of farming. But considering the variety of farms around the world, and that most of them are very small compared to the Canadian average, combative conversation is really rather unwarranted and, in many cases, an uneducated dialogue. When one disparages farms that are organic or ones that […] Read more
Farming is not a one-size-fits-all business
There is room for organic, conventional, and GM technology because each of them offers different benefits
Give yourself the gifts that make life so much better
These eight gifts can’t be bought, but are more precious than anything offered in any store
Reading Time: 3 minutes Encouragement is a much appreciated gift, and I have the pleasure of sharing this with young men and women around the world. From the farm in South Africa to the apple grove in Holland; from the backyard farm in the Philippines to the grain farm in Saskatchewan; and all places in between, there are passionate […] Read more
An act of kindness fills the human spirit and ripples outward
They often come out of nowhere and when they are most needed — and their power to uplift is deep and strong
Reading Time: 3 minutes It was the usual day. Get up early, study the markets, check on the cattle, fix fence, make a sandwich, and then go out and do it all again. Going to town or taking time to do things in the home were privileges, stretched out on the horizon and always seemingly days or months away. […] Read more
Food insecurity is not just a Third World problem
The situation in a country like Sudan is much more dire, but there are parallels to our own country
Reading Time: 3 minutes The United Nations has developed 17 sustainable development goals. The second one is “zero hunger.” This includes a mandate to end not only hunger but poverty everywhere and to achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. I would like to focus on food security in this column. Food security was defined at the […] Read more
Will boys always be boys? Not if we teach them proper boundaries
Around the world, boys are taught that aggression towards females is OK — it’s not, and must not be accepted
Reading Time: 3 minutes I was at the beach and there was a family on either side of me. On my left was a father and his four boys. On my right was a father and his four girls. The four girls played quietly doing make believe and building sand castles. Their father listened to music and watched for […] Read more
Temper tantrums: There’s way too much drama on some farms
A Facebook post on hand signals prompted an outpouring of comments from farm women subjected to angry tirades
Reading Time: 4 minutes This summer, a young female farmer posted the following message on Facebook: My husband is the worst ever at hand signals. Ten yrs. farming together and I still have no freaking clue what he is trying to signal to me. It would help if he actually used conventional signals and not his own secret signal […] Read more
In times of hardship, take time to consider all of your riches
The love of your children, support of family and friends, and faith are priceless treasures to be cherished
Reading Time: 3 minutes I am admiring the picture on the cover of Alexander McCall Smith’s book The Full Cupboard of Life. His fictitious stories from Botswana are an easy and humorous read. The cupboard referred to is typical; containing four plates and four cups, two bowls, a couple of pots, a little cooking oil, and a teapot. That’s […] Read more
Small indulgences — the experience of food can be priceless
In the food business, less can be more if you understand your customer and the emotional side of food buying
Reading Time: 3 minutes I remember a story from years ago about a family-owned ice-cream shop in a small town. Folks came from long distances for ice cream because it was so delicious. Yet, the customer had one constant complaint — there was too much ice cream in the cone! The owners of that shop decided to listen to […] Read more
Looking for an opportunity in livestock? Bison have a lot to offer
This mighty Prairie ruminant is the complete package when it comes to meeting demand for grass-fed, all-natural meat that comes with a great story
Reading Time: 3 minutes One of the most interesting animals in North America is bison. A ruminant that used to wander our Prairies in the millions has been reduced to around 500,000 head, many in pens on farms. Rugged and remarkable, these ‘knowledge keepers’ have much to teach us about nature itself. Bison love space and they travel as […] Read more
It’s not just the price of beef that drives cattle values
Hides are a big part of the profitability equation for packers and when buyers of leather cut back, producers feel the pain
Reading Time: 3 minutes There has been some great despair over cattle prices this year. Fed cattle dropped below sea level when they decided to descend. This was not entirely unexpected, but we still don’t have a lot of cattle inventory in Canada and our North American economy is OK. What is happening? Cattlemen and cattlewomen have always believed […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
