Reading Time: 3 minutes If there is one thing that North Americans love to eat — it is chicken wings. During the Super Bowl game alone, one billion wings are consumed along with an ocean of beer. Canadians are right in there chowing down on the once tossed tidbit, and continue to eat a few birds each year themselves. […] Read more
Chicken industry takes wing on some very creative marketing
Lowly chicken wings used to be a big problem for processors, now they are a huge and growing source of profits
Here are some emerging trends that we need to pay attention to
The development of meat alternatives, stores without checkouts, and Career Farmer Barbie are all important
Reading Time: 3 minutes When one of the largest meat-processing companies in the world announces focused research into the development of alternative proteins, I’m paying attention. Tyson’s allocation of US$150 million to a venture capital fund to research meat alternatives allows us a glimpse into the future of traditional meat and poultry protein sources. The idea is not new […] Read more
The meaning of sustainability depends on your point of view
When you talk about sustainable agriculture, you need to look not just at the farm but what is happening all around it
Reading Time: 4 minutes Redefining sustainability Battered about like a mariner’s ship at sea, the “sustainable” world is getting frayed at the edges. It leaks the slow leak, one that was built in agriculture on the idealism of creating a pathway to consumers but rested on that assurance without producer reward. Certainly, the journey is worth examining as we […] 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
She is not lost – she is beginning
It was never meant to be this way, but now there is a need to reflect on the past, make peace with the present, and look towards the future
Reading Time: 3 minutes She sits at the old kitchen table — a cold cup of coffee in her hands. The room glows with soft morning light on the papered walls of the home she has come to love. Her heart aches for it seems impossible that she should lose or leave this sanctuary — this place she has […] Read more
These are interesting times in the cattle and beef markets
There are a number of factors in play right now, and it’s a good time to step back and survey the wider landscape
Reading Time: 4 minutes Packers lifted a lot of cattle in late summer and it will be interesting to see as we move through the fall if those fed cattle slaughtered in late summer left a gap wide enough to pull other finished cattle ahead. This would bring lighter fed cattle to the kill floor which could be positive […] Read more
We need to count our blessings — and take advantage of them
Our vast land base is a great advantage but often leaves us stuck in the commodity mindset
Reading Time: 3 minutes Summer is a great time for me because of the many international guests I am privileged to host. I was having a lovely lunch with a family from New Zealand when one of them asked, “What are the top two issues facing Canadian agriculture today?” It is not the first time I have been asked […] Read more
‘Three times a day, you need a farmer’ — a phrase that says a lot
It’s not just the food we produce — farming is much deeper and more meaningful than that
Reading Time: 3 minutes My grandfather used to say, “Once in your life you need a doctor, lawyer, policeman, or preacher but every day — three times a day — you need a farmer.” To some this may be a catchy phrase but to others it has a deeper meaning. We were working on a school project, Grandpa and […] Read more
We think we have water in abundance, but that’s just not so
We need to start appreciating how precious each litre of fresh water is, and how much of it we are using
Reading Time: 4 minutes The dry spring brought to many parts of Alberta the stark reality of the importance of rainwater. But all water usage is getting stretched beyond that which falls from the sky. And although this province is technically a semi-arid climate, Albertans have often thought of themselves as “water abundant.” Are we? Alberta has 2.2 per […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
