Reading Time: 4 minutes For over a decade Paige and Marcus Dueck have embraced their passion for farming while striving to innovate and expand their Kleefeld, Man., dairy operation. Today, they are proud to say they’ve doubled their milk production during their short tenure and have optimized robotic technology to create a successful and balanced lifestyle for their young […] Read more
Outstanding Manitoba farm couple harnesses innovation and data
Summer Series 'Next Gen': Self-proclaimed data junkies and winners of the 2024 Manitoba Outstanding Young Farmers award, Paige and Marcus Dueck, talk about the changes they’ve made on their farm, how they’ve harnessed technology to work for them and what leadership means
Ontario farmers partner for success
Summer Series 'Next Gen': Country Guide sat down with several 2024 Outstanding Young Farmers (OYF) to learn about their experiences and plans for the future. In this instalment, we spoke with Ontario OYF regional winners Matt Bergman and DJ Wassenaar
Reading Time: 5 minutes Ontario business partners, Matt Bergman and DJ Wassenaar, have been farming together for 10 years. Their focus on integrating unconventional and innovative practices, combined with embracing calculated risks, is one of the reasons they were awarded the Ontario Outstanding Young Farmers (OYF) award in 2024. As young farmers who are eager to grow their operation, […] 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
VIDEO: Summer Series: Brooklyn and Harley Siemens
Reading Time: < 1 minute In this last instalment of our summer video series, we spoke with fourth generation Manitoba egg farmers, Brooklyn and Harley Siemens, about how they make everything count: business decisions, opportunities, and advancing the industry and their community.
VIDEO: Summer Series: Travis and Brad Hopcott
Reading Time: < 1 minute Travis and Brad Hopcott are third generation British Columbia beef producers, processors and retailers, and grow cranberries for Ocean Spray. They were also a 2023 winner of Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers. Country Guide caught up with them just before their win to chat about managing it all, identifying opportunities and how they feel about the […] Read more
Taking a direct mindset to farm marketing
Three winners at Outstanding Young Farmers share the insights that turned their ideas into successful businesses
Reading Time: 6 minutes More Canadian farmers are selling more of what they produce directly to consumers than ever before. Customers are keen to shop for locally made products and many are looking for agritourism experiences. While direct farm marketing has grown in popularity in recent times, it isn’t new to everybody. Some farmers have years of experience in […] Read more
Strategic marketing
These three farms have made fundamental changes to how they market. Should you too?
Reading Time: 6 minutes Whether you price and deliver using a commodity exchange, or whether you negotiate contracts with retailers or you sell farm products directly to consumers, the price you go to market at is always crucial to success in agriculture. Increasingly, though, today’s farmers are applying their management skills to the job. How can they set themselves […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
