Reading Time: 9 minutes Everyone knows that farmers spend a lot of time on the farm, but farmers know how vital it is that they maintain excellent off-farm contacts too, whether it’s for the health of their businesses, the health of their soils, or their own personal and social health. In fact, farmers value networking as much or maybe […] Read more
Networking in a new era
We thought the online age hit agriculture two decades ago. Then came the pandemic. Are you ready?
Feds pondering more self-reliance in Canada’s food
'Even if we are already in a good position, we can always do better,' Bibeau says
Reading Time: 2 minutes Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau is looking for ways to make Canada’s food supply more autonomous. In an interview Thursday, Bibeau pointed to her minority Liberal government’s pledge in the throne speech to further support the food value chain. That could mean a review of food infrastructure across the country, according to Bibeau. Specifics aren’t yet […] Read more
The right next step
Peer Think: Brooks and Jen White have always focused on improving their management decision-making. For them, that makes a peer group a key growth strategy
Reading Time: 7 minutes These new peer groups are drawing rave reviews from their members. Are they the most inspirational and perhaps the most essential business idea of the new millennium? It’s a big claim, but it’s tough to argue against this newest iteration of farmers helping farmers. Located in the extreme southwest of Manitoba, Brooks and Jen White’s […] Read more
Networking for business and life
If you cringe at the thought of networking, it’s a good sign you’re going about it the wrong way
Reading Time: 4 minutes While in the stands at his son’s hockey game, John got a recommendation for an accountant from one of the other parents. At a conference, Chris met a group of farmers who were also interested in experimenting with cover crops. At the end of a long day of combining, Tara shared her frustrations about work-life […] Read more
Unleash your Midas touch
Adopt these seven habits of Canada’s top farmers
Reading Time: 7 minutes Does it seem some farmers just have that touch? Anything they start turns into gold. Is it just timing? Genius? Luck? Or do these farmers regularly do things that enable them to excel? Or do they cultivate skills that the rest of us don’t? Country Guide asked Jack Thomson, president of the Outstanding Young Farmer […] Read more
Green Hectares
For young farmers, here’s a new model in education through networking and mentoring
Reading Time: 5 minutes Matthew Gould apologizes for taking a second while telling me about Green Hectares to check if his post digger has gotten clogged with mud again. “It’s still a little wet in places out here,” he explains, although I quickly come to see that nothing could be more fitting. After all, he isn’t just vice-chair of […] Read more
Networking and the farm
In the first of two parts, networking expert Donna Messer explains why her work should matter to you
Reading Time: 5 minutes If you challenge yourself to describe a farmer in 10 words or less, before you’re halfway through, you’ll find yourself reaching for words like independent, autonomous and self-reliant. And no wonder. With all the risks and stresses of agriculture, farmers have earned the rights to that image of strength, resiliency and self-determination. But, as every […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
