Reading Time: 4 minutes Farmers are the original recyclers. Now a circular food economy project in Guelph is helping farmers and businesses collaborate to find even more ways to reduce waste. The goal of Our Food Future is to build a circular economy within the regional food supply chain, says Justine Dainard, project manager for the County of Wellington. […] Read more
Developing a circular food economy
One out of six families near Guelph, Ontario, are food insecure. So why do we throw out over a third of the food that farmers produce?
Live your best life with exercise
A targeted exercise plan will help ensure you stay healthy today and tomorrow
Reading Time: 4 minutes Most people hope to spend their later years living independently and doing the things they love. Unfortunately, it doesn’t just happen. All of us may need to invest in strength training today to make that vision a reality in the future, says Dr. Lora Giangregorio. According to Giangregorio, falls are the number one cause of […] Read more
Get the best and brightest
Attracting new employees is tougher than ever, but there may be lessons to learn from other sectors
Reading Time: 4 minutes With job vacancies in a growing number of economic sectors across Canada far exceeding the pool of people available to fill those jobs, businesses are running harder to recruit and retain staff. It’s turning into a marathon. “We anticipate the employee-driven labour market will continue in the next few years,” says William Howard, director of […] Read more
Get a better sleep
Take this sleep advice at night to be more productive through the day
Reading Time: 5 minutes You can’t fall asleep. You lie there tossing and turning. You look at the clock and you think, “Uggh … I have to be up in a few hours. I’m going to be so tired tomorrow.” Sound familiar? You are not alone. Surveys indicate as many as half of us struggle with insomnia. Surveys, such […] Read more
Before the big “D”
You can help your family escape many of the difficulties that your sudden death would cause
Reading Time: 5 minutes It’s a fact that with life comes death, and almost all of us know of someone who died unexpectedly as a result of an accident or illness, leaving their families to pick up the pieces. Lacey Frizzell of Barrie, Ont., was still in university when her mom died. Her mother had been the bookkeeper for […] Read more
Meeting the growing need for food banks
Canada’s food banks are finding innovative ways to cope with escalating demand
Reading Time: 5 minutes Food bank usage increased more than 20 per cent nationally during the pandemic, with children now making up about a third of food bank users. That’s according to 2021 HungerCount, a report by Food Banks Canada which says a volatile combination of higher food prices, rising housing costs and low incomes has created a “perfect […] Read more
More listening, please
We’ve all felt it. When someone listens — really listens — it brings us to life. So shouldn’t we all get better at listening to others?
Reading Time: 6 minutes Being heard feels good. It’s like a massage,” says Cheryl Weber Good. “Our need to be heard is so big … to know that someone is sharing our journey and that we are not alone.” Weber Good, who farms near New Hamburg, Ont., with her husband, serves as a listening companion. “A listening companion is […] Read more
Meeting room
Across Canada, rural communities are re-imagining lonely church buildings into vibrant community hubs
Reading Time: 5 minutes It’s more than a massive loss for religious groups. With more than 5,000 churches expected to close in Canada in the coming decade, it’s a huge loss of infrastructure for the community-at-large. Located in the centres of their communities, churches frequently provide a home for daycares, seniors programming and educational workshops, as well as for […] Read more
Better neighbours
In an era of bigger, busier operations, are farmers still paragons of neighbourliness?
Reading Time: 6 minutes Neighbourliness is stitched into the fabric of rural Canada. It always has been. In fact, as Dr. Catharine Wilson, professor of history at the University of Guelph might put it, “reciprocal labour” is what paved the way for our farming success. “I don’t think we can overstate how important neighbours were,” says Wilson. It isn’t […] Read more
Healthy eating for older adults
Food choices are important as you age. Fortunately, says Dr. Alison Duncan, there are loads of great options
Reading Time: 5 minutes We’re living longer, and we are also learning how to live those extra years better. If we want them to be good years, it makes sense to pay attention to what we’re eating as we age. “Diet is a major determinant of health,” says Dr. Alison Duncan, a professor in human health and nutritional sciences […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
