As I previously wrote in a column for Farmtario in November last year, one of the most endearing memories I have from elementary school is when a classmate brought in a dairy calf for “show and tell.” I still remember that day vividly nearly 40 years later; how the calf’s tongue felt on my fingers […] Read more
Tag Archives editorial
Editorial: Farming knowledge can help form future habits
Editorial: We need to celebrate agriculture each and every day
Canada’s Agriculture Day was celebrated last month for the seventh consecutive year. One word came my mind this agriculture day, Feb. 15, as I received information from groups via email and watched social media channels. That word was ‘meh.’ My lacklustre response made me ponder whether we still need an official day to celebrate Canadian […] Read more
Editorial: There is nothing better than meeting in-person
Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show made a triumphant in-person comeback for the first time since 2019 last month. A total of 43,809 visitors came to Discovery Farm Woodstock Sept. 13-15, the home of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show (COFS). What struck me the most at the recent Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show was the smiles. They were infectious. […] Read more
Editorial: Let’s be careful not to greenwash regenerative
Food companies like to use descriptors such as “non-GMO”, “gluten-free”, “humane certified” and numerous others to try and differentiate their products in the marketplace. These often follow consumer trends, usually initiated by lobbyists for environmental, animal welfare, nutrition and health groups. They can also be considered greenwashing when they are used incorrectly, or fraudulently. The […] Read more
Editorial: Food from space
The recent Canada-wide Rogers outage was a reminder for me of what life was like before the internet. Although it was a huge inconvenience (I wasn’t able to work at all that day), it was a trip down memory lane. It was nice to disconnect and not feel the need to check my email or […] Read more
Editorial: Despite good intentions, FOP labels could do more harm than good
When Health Canada updated Canada’s Food Guide in January 2019, it was markedly different than previous guides. Unlike previous editions that focused on food ‘groups’ such as dairy, meat, grains, fat, vegetables and fruit, it categorizes food into nutritional categories such as ‘protein’ and ‘fibre’. Rather than dictating how many servings a citizen should consume […] Read more
Editorial: Race to the finish
Nearly six weeks into spring, Mother Nature finally decided to co-operate and provide the type of weather needed to start planting across most of the province. It was ‘go time’ during the first two weeks of May and social media channels were full of photos from excited farmers showing off their progress. The weather remained […] Read more
Editorial: Advancing the farm conversation on social media
When social media really began gaining traction about a decade or so ago, the agricultural industry was slow to get on board. This caused some problems early on, particularly for livestock producers because animal activist groups such as PETA, Mercy for Animals and HSUS were quick to realize that they could easily share unpleasant photos […] Read more
Editorial: Prevention is better than the cure
Late last month, while taking my dog for a walk I heard the familiar, distinct sound of Tundra swans overhead. They are beautiful to watch, but a reminder that with their return comes the threat of disease to the poultry industry. Many areas of the province offer the perfect ‘stop-over’ or spring habitat for migratory […] Read more
Editorial: Farmers will find a way
When I drove up the laneway to Adieu Farm near St. Jacob’s last month, the realization that it had been two years since I had been to any event or gathering with more than a handful of people, or stepped inside any kind of facility, hit me hard. Two years. The farm held an open […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
