Reading Time: 3 minutes Since immigrating from Holland in 1997, Dirk and Karin Griffioen have continuously expanded their farming operation. Today, on a land base of 400 acres, the dairy milks over 140 cows with a robotic milking system. Now, after two decades of building, Dirk and Karin are looking to the future and for the best ways to […] Read more
Bold Strides: Through efficient family-based planning
The first in our five-part “Bold Strides” series on farm families that are committing to big thinking through family planning, new ventures, revenue diversification, innovation and business operations. THIS MONTH: the Griffioen family, owners and operators of Vrederijk Dairy in Tavistock, Ontario
Better at change
Just because change is a constant on the farm doesn’t mean you can’t get much better at it
Reading Time: 8 minutes Farmers understand change: The weather changes, markets change, economics change. Technologies change too and, through it all, farmers keep farming. You always have. You always will. Change is inevitable, but we can learn from how other farmers navigate their own big changes, and we can adapt to the next major shakeups on the farm. “Change […] Read more
Planning to grow your farm?
These eight steps led to success for a U.S. family that talks in terms of its great, great grandchildren
Reading Time: 10 minutes It was 1985 and Jerry Lorenzen wondered whether what he was looking at was an opportunity. Lorenzen was working as an animal feed salesperson in the U.S. Midwest, so every day he was driving past crops that were getting grown to feed livestock. And he had a question. With spiralling population growth, won’t we need […] Read more
The new farm team
Katie and Andre Steppler are both running the show at Steppler Farms
Reading Time: 6 minutes It’s the biggest business day of the year for Katie and Andre Steppler. Bull sale. Standing on the sales block at their annual bull sale every March, the Stepplers run a perfectly orchestrated show in front of an audience of 200. Many more watch online. Amid the booming flow of the auctioneer’s chant, a bull […] Read more
New B.C. youth work rules: Heavy lifting, ag chem handling out
New standards also lift province's 'general working age' to 16
Reading Time: 2 minutes “Light farm and yard work” are deemed appropriate for workers at ages 14 and 15 under new employment standards taking effect in British Columbia this fall. The province on Wednesday announced changes to its Employment Standards Act, which have been through the development and consultation stages since 2019, have now been finalized and will take […] Read more
Home is where there’s land to farm
The Schill family has set down new roots in Ontario’s Temiskaming region —and they’re glad they did
Reading Time: 6 minutes Farming takes an uncommon amount of willpower and commitment to make things work despite the many uncertainties that farmers everywhere know all too well. It’s a skill that’s groomed in each new generation as it comes along, and it’s often tied to the peculiarities of the same tract of land that’s been in the family, […] Read more
Scaling growth at Sharpe Farm
Three Ontario brothers grow their ability to achieve their goals
Reading Time: 7 minutes In today’s business world, few concepts are more important than growth. Most entrepreneurs are constantly looking for ways to expand their business to increase profitability and improve their shot at long-term survival. Of course, farmers and other agribusiness owners are no exception, and for Michael, Paul and John Sharpe — the three brothers behind Sharpe […] Read more
Resilient farmers vs. COVID-19: Burnham Family Farms
Here’s how family and community relationships powered these farmers through the pandemic, getting seed in the ground and creating a resolve for the future
Reading Time: 5 minutes In the battle against the pandemic that is gripping our industry and reaching across the globe, the resiliency of farmers continues to be showcased. In our last article, we explored the innovations employed by our ag community that demonstrated their ability to adapt and get the job done. “Another year, another challenge,” was the basic […] Read more
Working with change, instead of fearing it
Non-farm family businesses are in the throes of succession planning too. With the help of Chris Clarke, here’s how they’re elevating their team skills for superior succession planning — and why it’s driving their business performance as well
Reading Time: 5 minutes By now, every farmer has encountered more than a few articles on succession planning, and maybe the thought of even one more doesn’t seem all that appealing. Indeed, you’ve probably read the first few paragraphs of quite a few of these stories and paused, wondering if you’ll learn anything new. Well, this article is a […] Read more
The return of farm diversification
On this farm, widening the base of operations helps achieve crucial management goals
Reading Time: 6 minutes When Anthony Nabuurs talks about agriculture, he looks beyond growing crops and selling what he harvests. Expanding his operation beyond planting, spraying and combining has become a necessity for his farm and for those who work with him, partly because of economics, and also because it helps overcome some of the challenges of farming on […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
