When most people think about nutrition, they often link it to weight loss—especially at the start of a new year. But for farmers, nutrition is about so much more than the scale. It’s the foundation for physical health, cognitive function, and overall well-being. Proper nutrition can optimize your capabilities, help…
Traditions on the Farm: Honouring the Past, Embracing the Present & Looking to the Future
I didn’t grow up in agriculture. My parents had a more typical schedule and I spent my summer vacation at the community pool. When I married into a multi-generational farming family, I stepped into a world that looked very different from the one I knew. Though our everyday lives didn’t look…
Setting Boundaries: What They Are, How to Set Them and Why You Need To
When we talk about boundaries in the agricultural sector, we are often talking about literal boundaries, as in fence or property lines. But did you know that boundaries can also mean talking about, employing and sharing your limits with the people around you to keep you physically and emotionally safe?…
Cultivating the Positive Power of Gratitude
What are you thankful for? It’s a question that often comes up at this time of year, especially as many of us gather with family and friends around the Thanksgiving table. While celebrating gratitude during the holiday season is a heart-warming tradition that can boost your spirits, practicing gratitude regularly…
Planning for the Future: Through the Lens of the County Fair
Our Story Begins at the County FairFrom the woolly backs of sheep at our local county fair to the deep connections we’ve built on our family farm, our story runs deep with tradition. For my husband and I, it all started at that very county fair, where we met among…
Training for Harvest: The Ultimate Ultra Challenge
My name is Erin and I am a grain farmer in northern Alberta. My husband and I live and farm alongside my parents. Our kids are the fifth generation to live on the homestead. I grew up living beside my grandparents, helping with the farm and garden, and it is…
Cultivating Leadership in Agriculture: The Importance of Mental Health Support
Leadership is an important component of any business and leadership in agriculture is no different. Leaders on the farm or ranch must be able to guide their teams, strategically make plans, make difficult decisions, and adapt to changing circumstances often out of their control. Additionally, effective communication while problem-solving, managing…
Sowing Seeds of Purpose: Intentionality on the Farm
Happy June fellow readers! I hope the crazy month of May has treated you well. It always seems likeMay is here and gone in a flash. As we transition from May into June, I want to reiterate the importance of mental health awareness. I think many people understand and pay…
Putting the Her in Rancher – Celebrating Women in Agriculture
May is the month where the flowers and trees are (hopefully) in full bloom, the weather is giving everyone a taste of what summer holds, and it hosts a day celebrating the mothers in our lives. In the spirit of Mother’s Day, I will be writing (and perhaps bragging) the…
Farm Safety: Everyone’s Responsibility
This blog entry contains material that could be of a sensitive nature including child loss, grief and a farm accident that may be triggering for some individualsTracey Cross-Childs remembers the day that grief enveloped her entire family as her precious son, Jamie, died on June 5th,…
Communication
The ability to deal with conflict is a rare skill. Humans are hardwired at birth for fight or flight that defaults to passive or aggressive behaviors. The ability to communicate through that conflict is a vital skill that even the best communicators can continually hone. Personally, I am far better…
New Year, New …..
Tis’ the season! The time of year when so many talk about their new year’s resolutions. For some, it excites them. They envision a new and better future for themselves and their operations. But for some, it is a time spent dwelling on what went wrong and the challenges that…