The first farmers of this land did not wear Carhartt’s. They didn’t drive pickup trucks or listen to Merle Haggard. The first farmers of this land were not of European descent. The first farmers were Indigenous people of what is now called the Canadian Prairies. Primarily mobile buffalo hunters, Indigenous people produced and sold food, […] Read more
Author Archives
Big solutions recommended for Canada’s food system
The Canadian Agri-food Policy Institute recently hosted the Big Solutions Forum, an event where private industry, producers, and government officials discuss Canada’s food system. A theme throughout the dialogue was that a systemic approach will be necessary to achieve any meaningful impact. This prompted me to try to further understand the purpose of a food […] Read more
Is agriculture on the cusp of a health and wellness revolution?
The pandemic has forced farmers to adapt to a new way of living, working, and playing. What once required a trip to the city to go to the gym or attend a group fitness class can now be conducted online. With increased emphasis on distancing and the topic of mental health on the verge of […] Read more
Invest in consistency, curiosity and conscious analysis
Records indicate the first analytical soil sample was taken in 1914 in Ontario and the practice came to the Prairies in the 1950s and 1960s. Based on current soil sampling frequency data and anecdotal evidence, all farmers are not convinced it is a practice worth the annual expense. A few weeks ago, I conducted a […] Read more
Now is the time for long-term care reform
Canadians have lobbied for long-term care reform for 50 years, but the urgent need for it has become painfully obvious to everyone during the past eight months. Pandemic pressure has resulted in isolation protocols, capacity restrictions and clear examples of unethical patient treatment. There is growing evidence that long-term care needs to move toward a […] Read more
Why do we work so much?
It was a beautiful late September day, 24 C with a light breeze. I had just finished spraying for the afternoon and was scheduled to switch my uncle off the combine around 4:30 p.m. With an hour to spare, I had an idea. So, I announced on the radio “Just finished spraying. I’ll go for […] Read more
COVID sheds light on importance of health on the farm
Farmers have always been connected to several aspects of a healthy lifestyle. As food producers, we’re closely connected to the lifecycle of food, from field to fork. We’re also early pioneers of the concept of community, which happens to be a primary factor for self-reported happiness. But as agriculture has evolved, have we lost aspects […] Read more
Context is everything and trade-offs exist with COVID-19
Likely the most prominent question on most farmers’ minds is, “what impact will COVID-19 have on my farm business?” With so many unknowns, the impacts will be immediate and multifaceted, yet also long-standing from an economic, environmental, and social perspective. The largest mobilization since the Second World War prompts important questions. What unaccounted for positive […] Read more
Spray water quality top of mind during dry conditions
Spray water has become a hot topic in the last few years as surface water dries up and farmers seek out new water sources for spraying operations. Knowing the quality of your water is important for effective spray operations, yet it’s surprising how many farmers haven’t had their water tested. A water analysis is the […] Read more
Spray water quality top of mind, especially when it’s dry
Spray water has become a hot topic in the last few years as surface water dries up and farmers seek out new water sources for spraying operations. Knowing the quality of your water is important for effective spray operations, yet it’s surprising how many farmers haven’t had their water tested. A water analysis is the […] Read more
