Reading Time: 3 minutes What do agronomists wish farmers would ask for, or stop asking for, or understand better about their jobs? And how can farmers get the most out of their relationships with agronomists? While ultimately the customer calls the shots, Country Guide asked a few Western Canadian consulting agronomists what they would like to see from their […] Read more
The agronomist wish list: Marcus Dueck
Summer Series: These agronomists say they have great relationships with their farmer clients, but as with any relationship there is always room for improvement
The agronomist wish list: Matt Gosling
Summer Series: These agronomists say they have great relationships with their farmer clients, but as with any relationship there is always room for improvement
Reading Time: 2 minutes What do agronomists wish farmers would ask for, or stop asking for, or understand better about their jobs? And how can farmers get the most out of their relationships with agronomists? While ultimately the customer calls the shots, Country Guide asked a few Western Canadian consulting agronomists what they would like to see from their […] Read more
The butterfly effect of floral planning
Summer Series: Decisions made months before summer arrives affect the seasonal success of this floral business
Reading Time: 3 minutes In the white and grey of a Saskatchewan winter, Kristen Raney was thinking about rich chocolate browns, peaches and soft pink tones. As owner and operator of Shifting Blooms Flower Farm, the flower farmer, blogger and author uses the winter months to prepare for a successful growing season. In December, Raney was looking into wedding […] Read more
Sell the farm or save the family legacy?
Summer Series: The growing sophistication of farm operations is reshaping farm transitions. And the unprecedented challenges these legacy businesses face demand our immediate and strategic attention.
Reading Time: 4 minutes For generations, Canadian farms have been more than businesses. They are the backbone of our national food security and rural economic infrastructure. They are also living legacies, passed down through families with pride, hard work and an intimate connection to the land. The transformation of Canadian agriculture over the past few decades has been revolutionary. […] Read more
Adding emotional intelligence to your farm toolbox
Strengthening your emotional intelligence can pay big dividends, personally and professionally
Reading Time: 5 minutes Imagine there was a relatively simple way you could amp up your leadership skills, reduce your stress, help you more easily resolve conflict and provide insight into what other people are thinking and feeling. Emotional intelligence, first identified by researchers John Mayer and Peter Salovey in 1990, was originally presented as the ability to understand […] Read more
When Plan B Turns Into Plan A
Reading Time: 2 minutes It just doesn’t really feel like work,” Olivia Riddoch says about working on the family’s 4,000-acre cash crop farm in Sarnia, Ont. Riddoch oversees crop protection at Fairwind Farms. “I manage the weeds — or at least I try to. It’s the job that everyone sees. They drive by, you have a bad field and […] Read more
Closing the on-farm generation gap
Generations have always squabbled about issues and viewpoints, but the generational communication gap can be filled with curiosity and empathy
Reading Time: 4 minutes The clash between generations over outlooks, opinions, values and beliefs dates to ancient times. In fact, this disparity of perspective has a name: the generation gap. Each generation is shaped by the predominant forces at play during their formative years. Acknowledging these influences can improve communication among the generations, says River Falls, Wisconsin leadership development […] Read more
Alberta farmers map out sustainability of their farm’s future
Country Guide sat down with several 2024 Outstanding Young Farmers (OYF) to learn about their experiences and plans for the future. For this second article in the series, we spoke with Alberta OYF regional winners and Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers national winners, Daniel, Lorin and Barry Doerksen.
Reading Time: 5 minutes Four generations of Doerksens have managed their mixed farm and ranch operation in Gem, Alta. Today, they are proudly raising the fifth generation while carving out a successful pasture-to-table business model and enhancing the sustainability of their land, herd and future. Together with their parents, families and employees, the Doerksen brothers — Daniel, Lorin and […] Read more
From field to ear: Addressing hearing loss on Canadian farms
Summer Series: Work related hearing loss is common on farms due to the many noisy machines and tools required to run the business. Luckily, there is plenty you can do to preserve your hearing for years to come.
Reading Time: 3 minutes Farmers spend countless hours tending to their properties and animals, which, for all its benefits, can have a serious drawback: adult farmers are more likely to have hearing loss problems than non-farming adults. Years of noise due to heavy machinery, equipment and animals could lead to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), causing permanent hearing damage. Noise-induced […] Read more
How to manage your mental health
Farming is more than just a job; it’s a way of life. But it’s a lifestyle that can bring high levels of stress, long hours and uncertainty. What can you do to manage the stress when the pressure builds?
Reading Time: 5 minutes Unpredictable weather and markets. Long days spent alone in the combine and tractor. The pressure of running a family farm. The stress can build until it’s too loud to ignore. “For many farmers, these stressors are simply part of the job,” says Che Burnett, registered social worker at Counselling Alberta. “But when stress goes unchecked […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
