I was nervous about the change. Change is never an easy thing, especially for me. I was raised in a Mennonite home and my last name, Dyck, is inextricably tied to the tradition. There is now a garbage dumpster on our farm, and we’ve already filled it once. The whole experience, though small, has been […] Read more
Toban Dyck: These changes are not judgments
They are natural evolutions of a farming operation
Toban Dyck: Systems for our farm
I’m taking on the workshop, farmyard and waste management
Of all things to steal my attention during this current lockdown period, conceiving of and implementing on-farm systems have begun ranking quite high. You could say I’ve become infatuated with this. Since my wife and I moved into the farm house and took over the maintenance and oversight of the farmyard and all of its […] Read more
Toban Dyck: A deeper dive into policy
Agriculture is in need of synthesis
I am going back to university. By the time you read this, I will have a class or two under my belt. At 40 years of age, this could be interesting. I have decided to take a deeper dive into policy. I have been working in the agricultural industry at the farm group level for […] Read more
Toban Dyck: Looking back on 2020
We’ve been left to our own devices
With all this time at home, there seems to be no limit to the things I can get into. This year, 2020, the year so many people want to get past, has been one characterized by exploration and curiosity. And that is a good thing. Prodding forward when the path ahead is invisible or unclear […] Read more
Toban Dyck: Sanity in an oil change
The tangible elements of farming are therapeutic
The webcam on my MacBook hasn’t been working consistently, giving me a great excuse to participate in virtual meetings without having my mug on the screen. I slink back in my chair and engage in the conversation, but my eyes can wander without anyone noticing. I stare out my office window, which overlooks our farmyard […] Read more
Toban Dyck: This year we decided to grow black beans
New doesn’t mean impossible
This growing season has been different. I think we can all agree on that. As much as I have tried, it has pushed me to the thresholds of my cognitive abilities to index the challenges associated with the pandemic and then separate those from the unique challenges facing the agricultural sector. The general COVID-19 malaise […] Read more
Toban Dyck: Piecing together the farming puzzle
A picture is starting to emerge of what farming looks like for me
Eight years ago, when Jamie and I moved to the farm, I opened the box and dumped the farming puzzle on the table. There seemed to be an infinite amount of pieces and just as many ways to put it together. And, as you know, this particular puzzle does not come with a reference picture. […] Read more
Toban Dyck: Tread the COVID-19 landscape with sensitivity
It’s a challenge to process the news and identify how our fears and prejudices influence our positions
I check my crops nearly every morning. I didn’t do that last year or any year since I have been back on the farm. I regularly communicate with my father about what’s happening on the farm on any given day. I didn’t do that last year, either. I have spent an unprecedented amount of time […] Read more
Toban Dyck: Redefining face-to-face contact
The tech we’ve been forced to adopt is actually useful
There’s no substitute for face-to-face contact. I have believed in this adage for a long time. I felt it was a good perspective to balance the trend among younger generations that have trouble picking up a phone or going to someone’s house. Also, it’s often the default argument in favour of going to a conference […] Read more
Toban Dyck: What makes us trust a Chinese conspiracy video over experts?
It’s time to evaluate how we digest information
When I called my local fertilizer supplier to let them know I would be growing canola instead of soybeans on a section east of my house, they were unsure if they’d be able to accommodate my revised order. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and deaths started to be reported, a news cycle that was already […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
