Reading Time: 3 minutes Tyson Kucheruk never expected to be internet famous when he started his YouTube channel in 2006. “Back then, it was pretty much just for fun — take a video, upload it, that was pretty much it,” said the High Prairie producer known as Northern Farmer on the popular video-sharing site. “But later on, we gained […] Read more
‘Northern Farmer’ reaps a bumper crop of YouTube followers
Weather forecaster draws heat from ranchers
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Weather Network “is open to learning” about the beef sector’s positive environmental impact following its controversial call for Canadians to eat less beef, says the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. The CCA met with Weather Network officials after the forecaster posted a video on its website saying cattle “require about 20 times more land and they […] Read more
Beef sector redoubles its efforts to reach out to consumers
The goal is to use solid data and offer to the public in easy-to-digest ‘packages’
Reading Time: 3 minutes A new Beef Cattle Research Council article making the case that beef production uses water efficiently is the latest example of a renewed effort to reach out to consumers. The industry has recognized there is “a gap on the consumer communication side and somebody needed to do something,” said Reynold Bergen, the council’s science director. […] Read more
As the gap widens, farmers urged to reach out to consumers
The ag sector is better at both documenting its stewardship and communicating — but more is needed
Reading Time: 6 minutes Ever noticed you don’t hear the phrase ‘rural-urban gap’ as much these days? A decade and a half ago, farmers and ranchers — realizing most Canadians were, at best, a couple of generations removed from farming — were reaching out to urbanites at events such as the Calgary Stampede or through programs such as Ag […] Read more
Growing projects are a great way to reach out to millennials
Reading Time: 2 minutes Mikaela Lemay didn’t just want to help people in developing countries when she got involved with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. She wanted to help Canadian consumers too. “So much of the fear of agriculture is emotion based, so I thought it would be good to counteract that with positivity,” said the three Hills-area agronomist. “By […] Read more
The long wait: Delayed harvest wears you down
The stress isn’t just in the mind — and talking things out will lessen those physiological drivers
Reading Time: 5 minutes Fatigue when working long hours is a serious safety concern on farms — but another kind of exhaustion often sets in when farmers want to be out in the field, but are hampered by poor weather. “Even though we aren’t actually combining and it’s not physically taxing, the fatigue can still be there,” said Hannah […] Read more
There’s a new kind of loneliness — but overcoming it isn’t easy
You can see it everywhere — at least you can when you stop staring at your cellphone
Reading Time: 3 minutes It was a beautiful winter day. The weather was mild and the Prairie ice was just right for skating. I was thrilled to see a young boy navigating his wobbly way around the ice. It was obvious he was new to the sport. Dad sat faithfully on a nearby bench and not once did he […] Read more
Farmers encouraged to make Agriculture Day meme-able
Canada’s farmers are being urged to make closer connections with the country’s non-farming consumers, in both the real world and cyberspace, as Canada’s Agriculture Day nears. Spearheaded by the year-round industry-backed initiative Agriculture More Than Ever, Canada’s Agriculture Day is set this year for Tuesday (Feb. 13). “It’s a time to showcase all of the […] Read more
Get the lowdown on online marketing
Webinar on offer Dec. 6
Reading Time: < 1 minute Deb Foisy of Debs Greenhouse near Morinville will offer her tips on how to use social media to boost sales in a Dec. 6 webinar. Although her greenhouse operation is “a destination garden centre,” Foisy has expanded her online efforts in the past two years and “will share the successes and challenges she’s encountered,” said […] 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
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
