It’s Oct. 31, nearly 8 p.m. So far, no trick-or-treaters. We rarely get those on the farm. It’s disappointing. But, for perspective, it’s not nearly as disappointing as having crop still standing on the field. Which, you guessed it, we do. It’s a first for this farm, according to my parents. Never, in their memory, […] Read more
Toban Dyck: The first worst year on the farm
For a new farmer, the un-finished 2019 harvest is frustrating and disappointing
Toban Dyck: Are October storms a farmer’s wake-up call?
It’s tough to bear the holdups and heartbreak caused by weather this harvest
There are a lot of things in this life that are difficult to process. Weather is one of them. When a storm tore through Manitoba from October 10 to 12, delivering gale force winds over a long stretch of time, accompanied by an entire season’s worth of snow, harvest, tillage and the rest of our […] Read more
Toban Dyck: One country, one agriculture industry
A visit to B.C. to meet with ag writing peers and learn about B.C.’s ag sector
When you have crop standing on the field and the weather isn’t letting you get to it, it’s hard to think, let alone write, about anything else. But, I’ll try. I’ll put my remaining 120 acres of standing soybeans to the back of my mind. It’s raining here and I know that in theory it’s […] Read more
Toban Dyck: Finding the courage to tackle something new
What’s coming next, new crops? New goals?
What’s next? It is a difficult question. I’m 39. If I am to take my cues from what others have done in their 40s, soon I will be purchasing a convertible. I write this with a tinge of sarcasm, but I wouldn’t mind a convertible. Realistically, though, I want a 1969 Ford Mustang, the kind […] Read more
Toban Dyck: With golf or farming, concentration matters
Golf lessons can correct your swing; learning new skills can improve your farm
Number 1 is the course’s most challenging hole. It’s a long drive that, ideally, lands metres shy of a creek. Then, it’s a chip over the water hazard and over the high retaining wall on the other side onto a steeply graded green. To execute all of this properly and according to plan requires a base level of golf competency that at one […] Read more
Toban Dyck: Asking the hard questions of farmers
Don’t be afraid to be the one asking questions. You’re not the only one
He made the comment I was too scared to make. Farmers are required to know a lot and it’s generally assumed by our peers and colleagues that we know the things we’re supposed to. I assume other farmers know the things they’re supposed to know. And we walk on eggshells and implement evasive maneuvers to […] Read more
Toban Dyck: The world is watching us
Trade news brings the media to the farm to talk about agriculture and farming
The nation’s gaze is fixed on agriculture. And while it’s not for great reasons, there is opportunity here. Mainstream news outlets are stumbling over themselves to cover issues such as the global ag trade and how Canada’s current spat with China is affecting farmers. They are trying their best with the resources they have to […] Read more
Toban Dyck: Preparing for a new crop season
All grain farmers know that early spring antsy, “ready to seed” feeling
It’s as though a switch was flicked. It happens every year. The winter meeting season is busy and consuming. Then it ends, the snow begins to melt and you find yourself looking over your farmyard with a zeal for the upcoming growing season that you may not have had the day before. I woke up […] Read more
Toban Dyck: Taking your story to the stage
Writing and public speaking is not easy work, but someone has to do it
I was somewhere along Highway 2 between Holland and Glenboro, Man., when I took the call. I was on my way to speak at the Manitoba Beef Producers AGM about how the best way to reach any audience is through accessible, relatable and honest messaging. “Why are you speaking at the Beef Producers AGM?” asked […] Read more
Toban Dyck: Telling the facts from the falsehoods
It’s never been harder to tell truth from fiction — on the internet or on the farm
Leading up to the 2016 U.S. election, the Russian Institute allegedly began shifting its focus from distributing propaganda in the Ukraine to taking an active role in galvanizing anti-Hillary Clinton sentiment across the United States. It was last year sometime when my wife, Jamie, suggested I listed to the Radiolab podcast entitled “The Curious Case […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
