I’m going be insufferable. If you can handle that, read on. I’m going to theorize about things that make me sound like I’m trying to be old and wise. I’m neither. I just hear things. And I’m a green enough farmer that many things are new to me and they stick. The last of my […] Read more
Good stewardship vs. soil health
Will the temptations of higher profits push Toban Dyck into unhealthy rotations?
The truth is in the hopper
This fall marked the first harvest for a new farmer with a brand new field
Do you remember me griping about gophers eating my soybeans? I broke 120 acres of pastureland last feel, seeded soybeans on it this spring, and then, come emergence time, noticed that huge circular sections of the field were missing plants. It was gophers. They were eating my soys. They ate about five acres of soybean […] Read more
A feverish harvest week
Harvest is a literal and figurative time of year for a farmer with extra stress
The harvest started in a fever. We bit into the soybeans the day before my parents were scheduled to move from the farmhouse they’ve lived in for more than 30 years to a new house in town. The movers were booked. The soybeans were ready to harvest. The moisture was perfect, the sample was clean, […] Read more
Making the big move
Living in limbo is hard, but so is making a huge change
Things are changing for my wife and me. We moved back to the farm in our 30s with a rough plan for how taking over the family operation could unfold. That was in 2012. That plan has changed, and it’s currently unfolding. At least, in part. I’ve been here before. I know how to compose […] Read more
Mystery of the missing acres
Gophers and cutworms joined forces on Toban Dyck's newly-broken land
Have you heard the one about that farmer who lost five acres of soybeans to gophers and cutworms? And then how those gophers refused to go away? It’s a doozy, and this story isn’t done. To bring you up to speed, here’s a quick briefing: I’m currently renting pastureland, and I began the process of […] Read more
Learning to make the tough calls
The right time to seed, and what can be done with all of these rocks?
I’d like to write about wheat. I’d like to write about how in labs across the world, people who know how to do such things are working on manipulating the crop to withstand Roundup. But I won’t. I want you to think about it, though. I’m not anti-GMO. I’m not anti-science. It’s not me, one […] Read more
Keeping busy on and off the farm
Taking on a full-time off-farm job will add to Toban Dyck’s stress level, but will also add fun
Busy begets busy. I had no idea there was space in my schedule for another full-time job. Apparently, there was. Life is busy right now. But I love it. I now work in the ag sector, collaborating with experts, professionals, and many other people smarter than I am. If you’re an adult and take the […] Read more
The wide world of agricultural jobs
At best, non-farmers only have a vague understanding of career opportunities
I was chatting with someone the other day who got visibly excited when I mentioned the variety of soybeans I would be growing this year. I loved that. Her farm grows the same beans, and they’ve been impressed with the results. This is my life now, I thought, before getting into specifics with this person […] Read more
On the importance of ag societies
Ag societies were intended to be a way for farmers to learn from each other
Agricultural societies in Canada were once king among us rural dwellers, I’m learning. And they should be again. Everything is in place for these groups to be the most relevant, important gatherings of people in Canada. Food security is a real issue affecting a growing population. “Sustainability” is a word that appears to be sticking around. And genetically-modified has […] Read more
Settling in on the Manitoba farm
By year three, Toban and his wife are well on their way to feeling like real farmers
If you’re 32, and are thinking about moving to the farm, this column will change your life. Well, no, perhaps not, but it will give you some meat to chew on. Or, if you’re a farmer and a parent of someone who’s in his or her 30s, this column may offer you hope. I’m plagued […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
