“Sometimes we would grow in the same direction, and sometimes in different directions.” – Ian Steppler.

Manitoba farmers share their farm succession story

Transitioning the family farm can be riddled with challenges. The Stepplers have learned that working collaboratively offers a better chance of success for all

Reading Time: 7 minutes It’s a fact that most families squabble. Individuals don’t always see eye to eye, and they can’t always work together. But if they can find a way, it can make a world of difference to the profitability and future of their farm — and the success of their relationships with each other. The Stepplers managed […] Read more

Albert Gorter and Chelsea Enns with their children at the Little Qualicum Cheeseworks dairy farm.

Manitoba dairy farmers relocate to Vancouver Island

A Gutsy Move: How do a couple of dairy farmers pick up and move halfway across the country?

Reading Time: 6 minutes Chelsea Enns knew she wanted a different kind of dairy business. Enns and her husband, Albert Gorter, were looking to expand their dairy near Steinbach, Man., by adding their own processing plant to make dairy products. Then the perfect business, Little Qualicum Cheeseworks, a small family-run cheesemaking facility, came up for sale near Parksville, B.C. […] Read more


3D illustration of a gauge with needle pointing more than 200 percent

Wellness ROI

In a tight labour market, could wellness programs help recruit and retain employees?

Reading Time: 5 minutes Investing in employee well-being pays off. Beverley Beuermann-King, a mental health and resiliency expert in Little Britain, Ont., says the research proves it. Return on investment (ROI) data for corporate wellness programs shows that investing in employee well-being results in improved employee engagement, increased productivity, reduced absenteeism and fewer injuries. “If employees are healthy then […] Read more

bison cows and calves

A modern pioneer adventure

Reading Time: 2 minutes Farming is a complex business. In March 2020 the Teerling family of Lindsay Lake Farms was set to move their farm from Germany to Nova Scotia. The limitations on growth in their native Germany prompted them to look for a new place to call home. After visiting Nova Scotia in 2019, and deciding on a […] Read more


Cynthia Beck

Mental health affects decision-making on the farm

Farming is one of the most stressful careers, and that can affect your ability to make decisions

Reading Time: 5 minutes So many integral parts of running a farm business can cause stress. Finances, family disagreements, weather, long hours, lack of sleep, volatile markets, industry regulations and paperwork, uncertain crop yield, machinery breakdowns, technology, and the well-being of livestock are the most common. High stress levels are common on farms, but that’s dangerous because they can […] Read more



A John Deere combine sits on the show floor at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky, on Feb. 13, 2025.

The pros and cons of new technologies

New tech and equipment can be fun and often helpful, but experts caution against “new and shiny” syndrome

Reading Time: 3 minutes New farm technology hitting the marketplace can be awfully enticing, and it’s not been unheard of in years gone by to cause a frenzied “must-buy” reaction from those wowed by a demonstration. But just because the latest whiz-bang creation can, for the sake of argument, combine, check the markets, and cook an egg, all while […] Read more

“It’s overwhelming, but we tell everyone that it’s pleasantly overwhelming.” – Casie Kuypers.

Ontario sisters strike farm business partnership

Business partnerships can be tricky to navigate at the best of times. Throw in family members, a new on-farm business and a growing family legacy, and it’s a whole other level

Reading Time: 7 minutes For several years, sisters Kori de Boer and Casie Kuypers were informally part of their family’s original dairy farm in Palgrave, Ont., run by their dad and uncle. When their dad and uncle’s partnership wrapped up a few years ago, they knew that if they didn’t want the dairy to stay small (which would mean […] Read more


cricket_clusters_snacks-PrairieCricketFarms

Side hustles for farmers

A lot more farmers are turning to side hustles as a way to provide additional sources of income, but there’s a lot to consider before jumping in

Reading Time: 9 minutes Imagine telling your family of proud cattle producers that you are going to farm insects. But for fourth-generation farmer Ryan Steppler, his idea for a side business raising crickets for food wasn’t that hard of a sell to his dad, Dale. In fact, it was Dale who first gave him the idea. Ag-related or not, […] Read more

competitive strategy graphic

13 steps to a side hustle on the farm

Reading Time: 5 minutes Stephanie Plaster, a farm management outreach specialist with the University of Wisconsin – Madison Division of Extension, talks with lots of farmers who want to diversify their farms with a value-added enterprise. She uses several tools and exercises to help them plan what they want to do and how to do it. Here is her […] Read more