Over a decade ago I received a wedding invitation from a grateful reader. He had been wondering about how to find a wife, and he read my article on matchmakers. It worked. He wanted to share his joy as a farmer in finding a life mate. There was a family farm case where the 25-year-old […] Read more
Finding a life mate
Seeds of encouragement: Choosing one is a big deal and not many farmers want to talk about it
Too frosted to forgive?
Forgiveness is an issue that farm families need to take a look at
Man, I can’t believe that guy, every time I make a mistake, he just can’t accept my apology, and he keeps really good track… for years!” Does your farm team have the ability to apologize, and accept mistakes? I was saddened to hear a young farmer confide with me that in all his years, he […] Read more
Making sense of 2013 to plan for 2014
How are you planning to stand out in 2014 and make a difference in the world?
The calendar may say that it’s a new year, but my new year was a few months ago in September. I always feel that “going back to school time” is really the start of my new learning season. But alas, you have bright, shiny new calendars on your office, shop and kitchen walls, so as […] Read more
Time logs to track farm workloads
You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone…” is the line in a song that may ring true for families that regret not paying attention to earlier cries for understanding. My co-writer Dr. Megan McKenzie has a few thoughts about the importance of tracking where time on the farm labour sheet is spent: There […] Read more
Could you find 1,000 gifts on your farm?
I was basking in the glorious harvest sunshine and exquisite fresh air on my walk this morning as my cellphone rang. “Hi Elaine, it’s Charlie (not his real name)… Do you remember me?” The phone was crackling, but he repeated his name, and I said, “Yes!” noting the desperation in his voice. He needed a […] Read more
Connected to the community
Many young folks are eager to climb on the bright-yellow school bus, and see the friends they missed over the summer. Farmers are focused on getting a late crop off, praying for an open fall (autumn) and no frost until late October. Once the busy season has ended, more jobs on the farm will appear […] Read more
What to do when things do not work out…
It’s summer, and you are wondering if this is the last season for you working on the farm because you are tired of chronic fighting. No matter how hard you have worked at trying to get along and make things work, sometimes the conflict situation cannot be resolved. You need to move on, realizing that […] Read more
Seeds of encouragement: Give Dad reasonable expectations
Another teary-eyed father sits in my coaching session rubbing his face, trying to hide his disappointment. He really wants to get things sorted out with his son, but his emotions are keeping him stuck. When I suggest that all he really wants is to be respected and appreciated for all he and his wife have […] Read more
Blessing the mother-in-law you are stuck with
I wonder if you have picked out a card this year that says, “To the best mother-in-law in the world.” Mothers-in-law (MIL) are working hard on farms to mediate, meditate, and manipulate the family dynamics for better family harmony and a successful business. They usually are the brunt of many snide comments or jokes, which […] Read more
When I die, you know what to do
Before you read this column, grab a pen, paper, or your laptop. We have some serious work to do. April is wills month, and over 26 per cent of you reading this do not have a current will. How do I know this? I have surveyed my farm audiences all winter long, and that is […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
