Reading Time: 8 minutes For anyone affected by cancer, they have likely heard the adage that “a person doesn’t get cancer, the family does.” When 45-year-old grain farmer KR Vreeling was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2009, he and his wife, Tammy, realized they needed to expedite their farm transition plan or, at the very least, that they needed […] Read more
The farm transition trial
Transitioning the farm from one generation to the next is often fraught with challenges and can be an adventure into the unknown. But a focus on the bigger picture can help keep everyone aligned and form the basis for important decisions
The wildly adaptable side of next gen agriculture
Millennials are not all about avocado toast. This generation is not afraid to question the way things have always been done in the ag industry if it means building a stronger future
Reading Time: 4 minutes Some people just fall into the world of agriculture — and consider themselves lucky to have stumbled into such a happening industry. Kelsey Owen-Cooper is one of those people. Owen-Cooper grew up in rural Ontario, surrounded by farm influences. Her grandparents grew up on farms, her father worked on a local dairy (frequent visits to […] Read more
VIDEO: Change the way you think to change what you control
Drought. Floods. Input costs. Market prices. Labour. Farming is a masterclass in staying calm during chaos. Here’s how you can tap into the power of your thoughts to remain steady, even when the future is anything but
Reading Time: 2 minutes Even the strongest leaders can find themselves caught in a swirl of frustration or fear when so much feels out of their hands. For instance, I remember a time when I was a very angry, reactive person. My family was always on edge, never sure when I was going to blow up. And honestly, most […] Read more
A guide to farm financial ratios
Long lists of available financial ratios can be overwhelming. Here are three financial ratios that matter to bankers and how understanding them can strengthen your farm’s financial future
Reading Time: 7 minutes Some farm managers love to spend the winter poring over their financial statements and analyzing all ratios and indicators and how they’ve changed over time. Others would rather be outside working with cattle or at conferences learning the latest disease management techniques. If you’re not in the first category, your banker might know more about […] Read more
Ground rules for farm family communications
Summer Series: For better business results learn how to shift from talking and listening to each other as family members to making decisions together as business partners
Reading Time: 5 minutes Establishing meeting ground rules can help your family find ways to communicate that work for your farm. Here are some ideas you can incorporate into your farm’s communication code of behaviour. Setting rules for how your farm will meet about business can be a difficult cultural shift for the whole farm and family, but it’s […] Read more
VIDEO: Sharing your final wishes with family
Reading Time: < 1 minute Are you the child who knows more about what your parents have written in their wills? Are you worried that you’ll be the one left to explain your parents’ wishes to your siblings after your parents have died? If you want to avoid being the bearer of bad news, Patti Durand walks us through what […] Read more
Editor’s Note: No pressure
Reading Time: 3 minutes What is your playbook going into this year’s crop? Not an easy question to answer right now, given the global trade turbulence. As Evan Shout writes in The Farmer’s Playbook, volatility is likely to be the most-used word in agriculture this year. But, he writes, it’s also during down times that some farmers are able […] 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
Understand motivation to stay energized
Contrary to belief, motivation is not about discipline or willpower. It’s more complex, but there’s a lot you can do to boost yours
Reading Time: 6 minutes Let’s be honest. We’ve all had sluggish or frustrating days where we wonder why the heck we’re doing what we do. It can be challenging to find the motivation to get out of bed, do a chore, start a project. Motivation can be complex. What gets you excited about work today might not be the […] Read more
Having the right (business) stuff for your farm
For farmers like Jennifer Peart, upping their business game takes real discipline. The good news is the pay-off makes it very worthwhile
Reading Time: 5 minutes It’s less true than it used to be but it’s still safe to say that few of today’s farmers got into farming because they love business management. Instead, it’s the production side of agriculture that drew them in. It was their passion for growing and raising food and working with soil, livestock and equipment. Still, […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
