Reading Time: 7 minutes For Tara Sawyer, the term “farm wife” has always been a point of pride. Sawyer, who farms with her husband, Matt, in Acme, Alta., always felt the term signifies partnership. “I have always taken great pride in calling myself a farm wife. I am a farm wife, and I’m a stay-at-home mom, and yes, I […] Read more
What is work worth?
Women’s work in the ag industry has long been under-recognized and undervalued. Has the industry finally advanced its collective thoughts and actions around this idea? Some experts say ‘yes’
The farmer’s playbook
Consider these plays to arrive, thrive and survive in 2025
Reading Time: 3 minutes Walmart turns over its on-shelf inventory 9.4 times every calendar year. But farmers only get one kick at the can. In fact, it has been said that over a farmer’s career many will only hit a home run about seven times. That means the variance for errors is very small, and the planning component in […] Read more
Farming in a high-cost environment
Reading Time: 4 minutes The cost to farm in Western Canada has doubled in the past fifteen years. What was $250/acre in annual costs to farm fifteen years ago (using accrual accounting) is now $500/acre in Western Canada. Cost increases are being seen across the farm income statement including on inputs, machinery and land. The more recent spike in […] Read more
How farms can cut expenses
As we roll into the busy season, here’s a hard look at where to cut what’s inflating your expenses and eating into your profits
Reading Time: 7 minutes Input costs. Tariffs. Commodity prices. A lot of variables are moving quickly this season, and mostly not in the right direction. Monday’s short-term cash forecast scenarios are out of date by Friday, and long-term projections are anyone’s guess. What can Canadian farmers do in the short run to protect profits (and sanity) in this uncertain […] Read more
An experience to phone home about
Country Guide sat down with several 2024 Outstanding Young Farmers to learn about their experiences and plans for the future. In this first instalment, we speak with the Atlantic regional winner, Geena Luckett
Reading Time: 4 minutes Geena Luckett confesses she often feels she has imposter syndrome. At the age of 11 she transitioned from city girl to farm girl when her dad became a fruit and vegetable producer to supply his specialty grocery stores. Today, she is the co-owner and general manager of Luckett Vineyards in Wallbrook, N.S. Despite taking a […] Read more
All roads lead to the farm
Reading Time: 2 minutes Cody Snyder knew that he could always return to the farm, so he took advantage of the opportunity to work, travel and learn, “Because the farm is always there, it’ll never go anywhere,” he says. For a while he worked as a licensed mechanic and then decided to live in England for two years. He’s […] Read more
Creating off-farm revenue
Farmers have historically reinvested their earnings back into the farm. Today’s generation is planning for more
Reading Time: 3 minutes Generations of farmers prioritized reinvesting back into the farm instead of creating personal savings. But today’s generation is creating separation between farm and non-farm assets to minimize personal risk, position families for succession planning and increase family harmony. Family harmony and work-life balance Creating personal wealth outside of the farm plays a major role in […] Read more
Buying your first farm
Buying your first farm is a big deal, in more ways than one. Here are key factors to consider before signing on the dotted line
Reading Time: 3 minutes Many young farmers dream of buying a farm. The question is: How can you turn that dream into reality? The answer to that question raises more questions. Because there are several important considerations to think through very carefully before making that leap. To start your farm-buying path off on the right foot, let’s look at […] Read more
You don’t know what you don’t know
We’ve all confidently stated a ‘fact’ only to be proved wrong. But by practicing self-awareness and self-reflection you can not only manage the fallout, you can learn from it, too
Reading Time: 3 minutes When you returned home to the farm after college, university or trade school, no doubt you felt a great sense of accomplishment. And rightfully so. You earned this achievement! You invested time, personal stress and money in equipping yourself to enter “the real world.” Maybe you also felt that you crossed a finish line, that […] Read more
Understand motivation to stay energized
Contrary to belief, motivation is not about discipline or willpower. It’s more complex, but there’s a lot you can do to boost yours
Reading Time: 6 minutes Let’s be honest. We’ve all had sluggish or frustrating days where we wonder why the heck we’re doing what we do. It can be challenging to find the motivation to get out of bed, do a chore, start a project. Motivation can be complex. What gets you excited about work today might not be the […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
