Farmer with grain

Guide HR: ‘Is he suffering from the god complex?’

A narcissistic personality can come in any shape or size and can put your business at risk

Reading Time: 3 minutes He is always right,” says Matthew, age 25. “We always have to do things his way. Not even my mother can voice any kind of opinion. I’ve had enough.” When I met Matthew’s father, his initial comment was, “You will see right away that my son and my wife have problems.” At that point, I […] Read more

Guide Life: Write your legacy

Guide Life: Write your legacy

Writing a memoir isn’t only for celebrities. It’s a perfect way to preserve farm history too

Reading Time: 5 minutes It’s called learning by experience. Most of us get to a point where we regret that we didn’t ask our parents and grandparents more questions about their families and about what life was like when they were young. So now, we are determined to write our own stories as a legacy to our children and […] Read more


Guide Health: Smart sun exposure

Guide Health: Smart sun exposure

Avoiding repeated exposure to harmful UV rays can help you avoid serious skin damage

Reading Time: 3 minutes Being outdoors is part of day-to-day life in the summer, but you need to be smart about your sun exposure. You may experience nothing more than a tan, but more serious skin effects can occur such as sunburn, sun-aged skin, and even skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers in Canada, […] Read more

main street in a small town

Keeping small towns alive, building communities that thrive

Saving our small communities has less to do with keeping our kids at home than giving them reasons to return

Reading Time: 5 minutes Rural communities across Canada know the challenges all too well. Populations are shrinking, and services of all kinds are getting harder and harder to maintain, not only for businesses but also for new Canadians, the disabled, the elderly and those suffering from mental health challenges or addictions. It’s not all doom and gloom though. Doug […] Read more


Famer and His Son Standing Side by Side Leaning on a Gate

Guide HR: Do you make smart mistakes?

Never fear, learning from your mistakes can make you a more successful person

Reading Time: 3 minutes Let’s be honest, even though we don’t want to admit that we make mistakes. We do make them. It seems that it is inherent to the human condition. Human beings are error prone. I am a human being; therefore, I make mistakes. In fact, the more decisions we make, the more mistakes we will make. […] Read more

woman's pregnant belly

Guide Health: Drugs and pregnancy: To take or not to take?

List any medications you are taking and discuss with your doctor prior to conception

Reading Time: 2 minutes For pregnant women, taking drugs can be a real concern. They may need the drug to control or treat a condition, but there can be a balancing act between their health and their baby’s safety. It is estimated that two to three per cent of babies are born with birth defects which can range from […] Read more


Farmer and His Son Leaning on a Gate in a Paddock on a Farm

The strategic approach to managing employees

AME Management: It's important to foster a culture of employee engagement so people feel respected, motivated

Reading Time: 4 minutes If you own or manage an agricultural business of any size, you likely have a number of employees (family members or otherwise) working with you. And you have them for good reason. Employees come with many benefits, or at least they should. Employees with specialized skills can provide missing competencies and networks, allowing the business […] Read more

farmer raising his arms with success

Guide HR: Don’t work harder, work smarter

We all want to be more productive, so here’s the good news. You can be. Higher productivity is within your reach

Reading Time: 3 minutes I would do it if I only had more time.” We all want to be more productive and to perform at our peak every day. We all want to manage our time better, but guess what? If there is one thing that everyone has equally, it is time. We all have 24 hours each day. […] Read more


closeup of a woman'sear

Guide Health: Reducing your risk of hearing loss

Hearing loss does increase with age, but that doesn’t mean it’s inevitable. These steps can help provide lifelong hearing protection

Reading Time: 3 minutes The number of times you say “Pardon me” may be the only sign you have that your hearing has gradually lessened. It happens with age, but even so, it’s important to recognize there are steps you can take to reduce your risk and to maximize your hearing. About 10 per cent of all Canadians have […] Read more

farmer thinking with hands crossed

Time management for farmers can make for less stress

How do you manage today’s increased workload without hitting the red zone?

Reading Time: 5 minutes Growing up on a farm in upstate New York, Julie Gray thought she was learning lessons that she could share with executives and entrepreneurs in virtually every other line of business. It turns out she was learning lessons that today’s farmers need to learn too. From her office near Washington, DC, Gray is now an […] Read more