I once asked someone I admired for advice on building a successful career. He told me, basically, to be adaptable.
Great advice, but, like so many things, easier said than done. I’m sure he knew that, too.
Still, like so much in life, it starts with mindset. If you don’t see any need to change, you likely won’t change. If, on the other hand, you recognize the need to adapt and evolve, you’ll start looking for ways to do so. It’s almost like putting on a different pair of glasses that sharpens your vision.
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So, once you’ve accepted the need to change, how do you decide where you should pivot to? We know that not every decision is the right one. Yes, we can learn from failure, but at the same time, no one wants to pivot their career, or farm, right off a cliff.
It’s the kind of dilemma that I’m sure keeps people up at night, especially lately, with all the uncertainty around tariffs, counter-tariffs and the potential effects on people’s livelihoods, as well as the entire economy. Will this country finally ease its interprovincial trade barriers? Might that lessen the pain for our food processors, many of which are highly exposed to changes in U.S. trade policy? How will this uncertainty affect farmers in various sectors? There’s no end of questions and worries, especially when combined with the “usual” farm and ranch concerns around weather, transition planning, market prices, etc.…
One of the most valuable ways to think through these situations is to learn from the experience of others, at least in my opinion. While I can’t reach into the future and pull back stories of how we all got through the current uncertainty, many of the people featured in our March 4 issue of Country Guide have been through their own changes and managed to avoid tumbling off the cliffs.
A common thread running through many stories in this issue is that while planning is important, planning too far ahead is counter-productive, especially if it’s rigid. For example, years ago, Avon Valley Floral’s employees found it impossible to respond to changing conditions — even budgets were set a year in advance. So, in 2012, a group of the greenhouse’s employees decided to buy out the business and run it more entrepreneurially.
That doesn’t just apply to seasonal decisions — even with succession planning, you don’t want to lock yourself into a course of action by planning everything more than five to 10 years ahead, says Ian Steppler, a farmer based in Manitoba. It’s important to keep your eyes open to opportunities, he adds.
It’s also vital to admit you don’t know it all, can’t do it all, and then bring in people who can help. Just ask Chelsea Enns. She and her husband were running a dairy farm in Manitoba, but decided to purchase a dairy and cheesery on Vancouver Island. They pulled it off, with help from family, employees and financial advisors.
Meanwhile, Avon Valley Floral’s Nova Scotia location suffered huge losses from a winter storm only three years after buying out the previous owners. But they built things back better than ever, partly by bringing new people on board who could see what needed to happen.
Speaking of severe weather, we’ve got a few examples of farmers mitigating weather risk in Nova Scotia. Luckett Vineyards, also in the Annapolis Valley, is planting legumes and grasses between the vines, partly to build soil organic matter and improve soil drainage. Tile drainage in new vineyards also protects vine roots from too much water.
Small changes are often signs you’re heading in the right direction. Avon Valley Floral’s president, Joanna Gould-Thorpe, advocates for “micro-pivots all the time” and celebrating the small wins. And Chelsea Enns suggests breaking down a new, big idea into “smaller, bite-sized pieces.”
You don’t necessarily need to purchase an entire cheese-making facility, she says. “Just figure it out and find the people able and willing to help.”
