Country Guide senior editor Maggie Van Camp is a widow, mom, journalist and chicken farmer who coined a new term at CAFA’s (Canadian Association of Farm Advisors) Update in Guelph in May. Maggie proposed that the culture of agriculture needs a new mindset to speak to the many women farm operators in our country, women […] Read more
Are you a ‘farmwife’ or ‘farminist’ or both?
How do you see yourself? What does being a farm woman mean to you?
Woes of the farm workaholic
Working too much is harming farmers and their families
Sometimes the overwhelming demands of farming cause the entire body to slump at the kitchen table. Worn hands stroking greying hair and the eyes are reddened and glassy. Farming is one of those businesses where you live at your workplace. There is no line between work and home. It seems that work is always just […] Read more
How to help your farming father be really happy
What do fathers who are enjoying relationships with their successors say?
When I first typed out the title it was, “How to make your farming father really happy,” but that didn’t sit well because I believe that each of us as emotionally mature adults gets to wake up every morning and decide what our mood and responses will be. We get to choose to be happy […] Read more
How to talk with your boomer parents
Seeds of Encouragement: Here’s some tips that may be helpful to do just that
As a Hudson Institute Certified coach I’ve been taught to always ask, “How old are you?” This is not rude. This is a helpful piece of information to assess what key issues need to be talked about. Scott Zimmer of Bridgeworks has helped me with decoding helpful language for communication between the generations. Here’s some […] Read more
How to have your voice heard
Here's some tips to have your opinions and ideas count at the farm decision-making table
I’ve consumed a bit too much chocolate in my adventures at the Hershey Lodge in Pennsylvania. You are given a large Hershey bar at check-in, a bag full (over 10 chocolate kisses with room service breakfast) and chocolate butter at the banquet table. Even the shampoo and conditioner smell like chocolate! Many women love chocolate. […] Read more
Does anyone care about the farm?
Some questions for farm families to help create a successful legacy
I’ve just read David Specht’s book The Farm Whisperer…secrets to preserving families and perpetuating farms. It’s a great, quick read of inspiring questions for farm families wanting to transition management and ownership to create a successful legacy. Specht and I met on the Internet… I Googled him, then picked up the phone, then we exchanged […] Read more
Tips to downsize to move off the farm
Have a target in mind for moving off the farmyard and a plan for decluttering
The number 2020 stares at me from the flip chart paper on my kitchen wall. This farm coach is being coached to set timelines for moving off our farmyard to make room for our successor to live on the main yard. I have four harvests left to get things chucked, sorted, and packed for a […] Read more
Farm life tension audit — time to fix your stress mess
Complete this checklist to see how you could help fix your tension this year
Recently Mike Lipkin offered me a checklist of champions, and it encouraged me to think about being more intentional about identifying how to be a champion. Here is another checklist of what might be creating tension on our farms when you don’t feel like a champion! Take a few moments for self-care and self-awareness to […] Read more
‘We wish parents understood!’
Many young farmers have some issues they wish the older generation would realize
We wish parents understood” was part of the Twitter feed from young farmers attending the fabulous AgExcellence Conference 2015, put on by Farm Management Canada in Regina. I was only able to monitor the tweets as I could not physically attend, but this nugget showed up and I’d like to express my take on their comments based […] Read more
Gleanings and goals of young farmers for their future
Eager ag entrepreneurs are looking for ways to improve themselves and their businesses
In Regina last November, Farm Management Canada hosted the Ag Excellence conference which I was only able to attend via my Twitter feed. I love this group because there is a sea of young eager ag entrepreneurs looking for new ways to improve themselves and their businesses. Advice from young farmers at AgEXCONF 2015 the […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
