Reading Time: 5 minutes We eat with our eyes first, according to the folk proverb. We all know it is true, and we also know all the snap judgments we make when someone shows us a food photo that really doesn’t make the grade. “They don’t know how to take a picture,” we think. Or, “they aren’t professional enough […] Read more
How to take better food photos
On websites and social media, our food photos need to be more appetizing then ever. Here’s help
How to help a grieving friend
No, you can’t take a friend’s grief away. But you can help
Reading Time: 5 minutes When a friend has suffered the death of a loved one, we want to help but often we are unsure what to say or do. Even worse, we worry that what we think we should do could be exactly the opposite of what we actually should say, and could cause damage to our friend or […] Read more
Seven strategies of successful farmers
Here’s new evidence that business skills increase farm income, no matter what size the farm
Reading Time: 5 minutes With the harvest finally in the bin, farmers across the country are evaluating their farm management practices and they are making management decisions for the future. Business management skills are more important than ever as farmers face huge challenges, including unpredictable weather, volatile markets, labour shortages, succession, and much more. In this environment, a great […] Read more
Coping with the winter months
“It’s okay not to be okay,” says therapist Deborah Vanberkel. All of us are subject to the winter blahs and cabin fever
Reading Time: 6 minutes As if farming wasn’t already stressful enough, Canadian winters bring additional challenges. Frozen water lines, icy driveways and tractors that won’t start are just a few of the many physical challenges that farmers must contend with during our harsh winters. On top of that, when the short days of winter arrive, some of us will […] Read more
How to deliver constructive criticism
Focus on end results to eliminate the emotional sting and to improve performance
Reading Time: 5 minutes If you’re like a lot of people, you’d rather do anything than give negative feedback. Even when it is well-intentioned, criticism isn’t easy to deliver. It’s anxiety-producing both for the giver of the negative feedback and for the receiver. As a result, most of us avoid giving negative feedback, which, of course, fixes nothing. Failing […] Read more
How you can stay safe online
Is your phone tracking your kids’ every move, and selling that information to the highest bidder?
Reading Time: 5 minutes If you haven’t turned off the location tracking setting on your smartphone apps, your phone may be recording — and sharing — your every movement. It’s the same for your microphone and camera functions. They may be recording your conversations or taking pictures without your knowledge. And no, this isn’t science fiction. This is a […] Read more
How to make your kids more financially literate
Don’t overlook how powerful it is to teach your children about managing money on the farm
Reading Time: 4 minutes Financial literacy is essential for everyone, but it is particularly critical for farmers. Defined as “the ability to use knowledge and skills to manage financial resources effectively for a lifetime of financial well-being,” it’s a must in modern agriculture. Parents agree. They want their children to be financially independent. Yet Stephanie Szusz, who works in […] Read more
Putting a spotlight on men’s health
Hey, Men! These small changes will boost your health, energy and fitness. Adopt them for yourself, and for your family too
Reading Time: 5 minutes For many men, looking after their own health is far down on their list of priorities. Health care practitioners speculate as to why men don’t look after themselves. Men may not feel they have the time, they may think it’s a sign of weakness to seek medical attention, they may not understand the risks of […] Read more
Dealing with problem employees effectively
Instead of firing them, use these tips to coach problem cases into good employees
Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s getting tougher to find and keep good employees. Nor, by all indications, is the situation going to improve anytime soon. According to the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council’s newly released Labour Market Forecast for the next decade, farmers can expect an already tight labour market to get even tighter. According to the council’s survey […] Read more
Where Ontario’s soil health strategy falls short
Farmers understand the crucial role of soil health for feeding the world. So why is it such a struggle to get support for that goal?
Reading Time: 6 minutes Last fall, Dr. Sarah Rotz, then working at the University of Guelph, wrote an article with Guelph crop scientist Dr. Ralph Martin and York University agri-food policy researcher Dr. Rod MacRae to draw attention to what they perceive as shortcomings in the Ontario government’s Soil Health Strategy. It’s a topic Rotz had been studying for […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
