Reading Time: 3 minutes I was visiting with a friend who has had a rough life. His mother and dad worked hard to provide, but they did not know how to love each other or their children. Babies were not rocked or held, and little ones were on their own. There was never a goodnight kiss, a story, a […] Read more
Our animals give us such a precious gift
We have something very special when we share our lives with companion and food animals
China needs what we can supply — but it’s a challenging customer
When markets get back to normal, expect China to continue its protein buying spree
Reading Time: 3 minutes China has been unfortunate in the past few years in experiencing both animal and human disease that has been costly in terms of life and the economy. Often, China is thought of as an exporter of almost anything, but the table has turned when it comes to food and to protein supplies. Until the coronavirus […] Read more
The all-too-common pitfall of successful businesses
Growth brings rewards but also stretches the founder — especially if he or she hasn’t developed their team
Reading Time: 3 minutes What does success look like to you? For many, success is measured in terms of net profit, wealth or an accumulation of assets. For others, it is the ability to put children through school, travel or to own a cabin. However measured, success is often tied to money and people. In my Nuffield travels and […] Read more
In business, starting small doesn’t mean thinking small
As in any other enterprise, a farm’s success is the cumulation of a multitude of small acts
Reading Time: 3 minutes One cannot look at a vast ocean without realizing that it just does not come into being. It takes a thousand raindrops, so goes the saying, to start the flow of water to make the sea just as it takes millions of microbes to build soil. And so it is with a farm or farm […] Read more
We’re often afraid to ask questions, but it’s a key skill
Being curious and asking lots of questions is a good thing but for some reason, we tend to hold back
Reading Time: 3 minutes The little boy was curious and always asking questions. Over and over again he would ask his increasingly impatient mother why, how come, how far, how long, when, where and what. But his grandfather would gently smile and say, ‘That is a wise boy; for you are only one question away from being a better […] Read more
Agriculture must continue to be a technology leader
We need to foster innovative research in order to meet the challenges that we will face in the coming years
Reading Time: 3 minutes As I stood in the desert with my colleagues, I realized that competing both economically and in volume to their level of production would be impossible. The sand delivered 48 dry tonnes of forage in many harvests per year. More importantly, the long-term objective of turning the desert into food production was becoming a reality. […] Read more
We know how to make agriculture more resilient
Encouraging use of proven techniques and improving infrastructure are key to sustainable food production
Reading Time: 3 minutes It was my grandfather who said to me, “Once in your life you need a doctor, lawyer, policeman or preacher, but every day three times a day — you need a farmer.” The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations uses this in a poster promoting the importance of farming and agriculture globally. […] Read more
Preserving highly productive soil is critical for tomorrow
In my hometown, across the province and around the world, top-quality soil is being lost to development
Reading Time: 3 minutes My hometown is Stony Plain. It is a great town, progressive, beautiful and welcoming: A place that honours the past and has no fear of the future. I love to go back to visit with my family and friends. I can stand in one spot for hours and simply talk to folks as they pass […] Read more
Conflict drives them from home, but hope is what they bring
Many of our newcomers had to flee their own country and they value the peace and opportunity they find here
Reading Time: 3 minutes While walking on the path, I met a group of students working on an outdoor assignment, enjoying the activity and chatting away. I love to find out the story behind people — starting with a joyous welcome to Canada and asking the inevitable question, ‘Where are you from?’ In this group there were people from […] Read more
Getting past the walls that we build around ourselves
Our lives change in profound ways when we reach out to others — and let them reach out to us
Reading Time: 3 minutes I am flipping through the photos of this past year. It has been an amazing time for me. Blessed at every juncture, I have been filled with light and love and pure joy. Despite huge and heartbreaking challenges, each day was worthy of this page, each moment a cherished memory. It was a lovely meshing […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
