The Silver Lining SLAP™ For Your Business

It’s my joy in travelling to meet energetic young entrepreneurs who have been grounded by their farm experiences. Last December in Montreal I met the passionate founder of Silver Lining Limited, Carissa Reiniger, who is now 28. Carissa’s common-sense approach and SLAP system is giving a workable template to small business owners who want better […] Read more

Company Is “Local, Whole Grain And Friendly”

Martin Munchies is pushing the envelope when it comes to the world of snack foodandthe world of barley. In the spring of 2010, the crunchy whole grain barley clusters debuted at two Edmontonarea farmers’ markets. Lesley Kelly is the development and marketing force behind Martin Munchies. Though she grew up on a farm, she never […] Read more


How To Potty Train Your Child

Let me start by saying that I never gave this much thought prior to having children. Who does? As an adult, I’ve had to deal with my own bouts of incontinence but those usually ended with a solemn vow never to drink again. I’ll save those adventures for another story. So when it came time […] Read more

The Little Berry That Could

The well-known children’s storyThe Little Engine That Couldillustrates that with perseverance, optimism and the deep-rooted belief thatit can be done,even the littlest among us can climb mountains. It would appear that for saskatoon berry grower and manufacturer Sandra Purdy, these same characteristics also slay dragons. Purdy’s company, Prairie Berries Inc., is a Canadian food-based company […] Read more


Grass Fed Pays Off In Sales

Grass finished, rather than grass fed is the goal, says Janeen Covlin. With her husband Sam and her parents Lyle and Grace Olson, Janeen raises grass-fed cattle on their farm, Cool Springs Ranch, near Endeavour, Sask., about 300 km northeast of Saskatoon. They also pasture hogs and poultry. Lyle recently took a meat-cutting course at […] Read more

Of Mice And Vehicles

Prairie acreage owners and farms likely have one issue in common whatever other matters might divide their interest. The pervasive and persistent intruder, the deer mouse, loves to set up shop in garages, shops and outbuildings every fall. Ignoring for the moment their very real potential for spreading the Hanta Virus we try to focus […] Read more


Who Is The Ultimate Decision Maker?

The International Farm Transfers study wanted to look at the process of the transfer of skills and knowledge to the next generation. When I work with younger farmers, they are keenly aware that some decisions Dad is not letting go of very easily. So I offer this worksheet from Dr. John Baker’s work at the […] Read more

Reliable Horse Power

When the temperatures drop to -40 C, Jody Luster’s equipment always starts. And when the snow is deep, his two main engines can be trusted to plow through. That’s because Luster’s primary farm equipment consists of two horses — Socks and Sally. “The nice thing is I know they’ll start in any weather and I […] Read more


Things I’ve Learned From My Family

When I was young, going to church was a big deal. It meant that we got to dress up in our finest and leave the yard. Being raised on a farm in the middle of nowhere didn’t offer a vast array of entertainment, so Sunday morning was a real treat. When I study the rare […] Read more

Too Busy To Celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Whoever decided that Valentine’s Day should be in the middle of February didn’t live on a farm. To be honest, my husband never used to be a supporter of the occasion. He called it a “Hallmark Holiday,” so we didn’t really celebrate it. But as the children got older and public school started making a […] Read more