woman smiling

Guide HR: Six characteristics that help build a foundation for success

We invest a lot in the idea of success, but we often take more time to plan a vacation than to plan our lives

Reading Time: 3 minutes We all want to succeed in life. But how do we define success? Success in your personal life is connected to success in your business, and vice versa. It’s like having two containers that are connected together. Each one influences the other. It’s hard to be energetic when you are haunted by negative emotions. It […] Read more

female hands

Guide Health: Topical corticosteroids — use them wisely

Before opting for topical corticosteroids, be sure to check for any environmental factors that may be causing your rash

Reading Time: 3 minutes Steroids in the body are normally produced by your pituitary gland and regulate your body’s growth and functioning. They have a common carbon-based structure and range from substances like estrogen and testosterone to cortisol and prednisone. First identified in the late 1850s, oral formulations were developed by 1933 and topical versions by 1973. Topical corticosteroids […] Read more


closeup of human eye

Guide Health: Eye drops — just a little drop will do it!

Reading Time: 3 minutes If you’ve ever had to use an eye drop, or if you do use eye drops regularly, it is important to use them properly to get the most benefit.  Keeping your eyes healthy is a lifelong activity, and using eye drops correctly is a key component. Eyesight is a valuable, irreplaceable sense. Even so, however, […] Read more

farmer in a canola field

Guide HR: Assert yourself, or should you step aside?

Which personality type are you? Passive, assertive, or aggressive?

Reading Time: 3 minutes It seems surprising to meet entrepreneurs who manage millions of dollars and make so many important decisions, but for some reason become very vulnerable when it’s time to express what they want, their limits and their wishes.  Why is it so hard to be assertive? “The employee is always late. Sometimes he doesn’t come to […] Read more


farm couple in a barn

Be a better farm ambassador

More farmers are developing strategies that actually do connect with consumers

Reading Time: 5 minutes In her other life as a school board trustee, Okanagan Valley chicken farmer Christina Coers sees the value of education. It’s a mindset that she brought with her when she and her husband Steven became chicken farmers under the new-entrant program of the British Columbia chicken-marketing board a year ago. Coers, 46, didn’t grow up […] Read more

farmer loading grain with auger

Are you in good physical shape?

Farmers are always active and "on the go" but this is no replacement for exercise

Reading Time: 3 minutes Farm work is physically demanding, so it is no surprise that farming has always been synonymous with health and good physical condition. But is that still the case? Peter has no energy anymore. He wakes up exhausted and feels winded at the slightest effort. It seems he always has a backache too. On his wife’s […] Read more


Guide Health: Are you at risk for tuberculosis?

The risk of contracting tuberculosis is small, however, about 1,600 new cases are reported in Canada each year

Reading Time: 3 minutes Often simply called TB, tuberculosis also used to be called “consumption” and you are probably familiar with the symptoms from movies and books. These symptoms include a long-lasting cough, chest pain, coughing up blood, and weakness. In 1926, health reports cited tuberculosis as the cause of one out of every 13 deaths. Historically, it was […] Read more

man kneeling with a cow

Living with dementia on the farm

Alzheimer’s is a frightening diagnosis, but these strategies can maximize your control

Reading Time: 4 minutes Getting a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s can be devastating, especially for farmers who want to stay active on the farm. Even if you’re afraid of bad news, however, it’s important to seek a medical diagnosis as quickly as possible. Memory loss or problems with cognitive function may be caused by treatable conditions, explains Lisa Loiselle, the […] Read more


Guide Health: When does a bloody nose become worrisome?

Trauma to the nose is usually the cause, but certain medications can also make nosebleeds more easily occur

Reading Time: 2 minutes A nosebleed can be both bothersome and alarming, even if you don’t know its technical name is epistaxis. Most people have at least one nosebleed between the ages of three and 30.  Children younger than three usually do not have nosebleeds because they do not often experience nasal damage, and older people may have nosebleeds […] Read more

man in farmyard with haybales

Happiness is good for your business

What are the factors that contribute to being happy, and how can you increase workplace happiness?

Reading Time: 3 minutes If you are thinking, “Happiness and business — that sounds crazy,” you should read this article. Decades ago, happiness seemed quite irrelevant for leaders, entrepreneurs and CEOs. However, in the last 10 years, researchers in positive psychology have determined why industry should care. Happiness leads to success in nearly every life domain, including work performance, […] Read more