Last week I had the opportunity to attend an agricultural conference called FarmTech and I was really impressed with the high calibre of speakers who shared their stories and provided inspiration to the hundreds of people in attendance. I've decided to share my key takeaways from several of the sessions and keynote addresses. While the... Continue Reading →
The Real Takeaway from the Dr. Oz Show
Unfortunately, every day after work I arrive at the gym just in time for the Dr. Oz show. Why do I say unfortunately? Because I'm not a fan of Dr. Oz. His show is pure sensationalism. He overhypes pretty much every topic he addresses on the show and uses fear mongering simply to increase his... Continue Reading →
I am 100% Farm Raised
It's Friday at 5:00 p.m. As a young person I should be looking forward to a night out on the town. But instead here I sit wishing I was 1,300 kilometres away at the family farm. Why you ask? Because it's #harvest13. Prior to moving to Alberta, while living in Manitoba, I ventured out to... Continue Reading →
This is Not a Glorified Petting Zoo
I spent last weekend volunteering at Aggie Days in Calgary surrounded by kids and strollers. I did some people watching and couldn't help but notice how excited the kids were to see all the animals, machinery etc. These things are a novelty for city kids (the majority of Aggie Days attendees are urban folks). I... Continue Reading →
The Future of 4-H
Quick quiz: what do the 4 H's in 4-H stand for? Read the rest of this post and you'll find out at the end. 4-H is celebrating a big birthday this year - 100 years. Since 1913, 4-H has given youth between the ages of eight and 21 opportunities to learn new things such as... Continue Reading →
AFWA Tour: Ag and Oil
Last week I escaped the concrete jungle of Calgary and explored a new part of the province. I ventured about 3.5 hours northwest to the Drayton Valley area for the two-day Alberta Farm Writers Association (AFWA) annual farm tour. For those of you who are familiar with the province of Alberta, I'm sure the first... Continue Reading →
The official diagnosis is…
Homesickness. A feeling one has when missing home, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. Despite my experience with living and being away from home, lately I've been experiencing a touch of homesickness. I know this is common and those of you who have moved away from home will know what I'm talking about. Here are... Continue Reading →
Exploring Kananaskis Country
Last weekend I got my first taste of beautiful Kananaskis Country and I loved it. The Kananaskis Country recreation area is located southwest of Calgary, Alberta. The area contains more than 4,000 square kilometres of foothills and mountains to explore. Snow on the ground and a chill in the air limited my hiking, but I... Continue Reading →
My roots are showing…
...in more ways than one. Anyone who colours their hair, whether by choice or necessity, can relate to that feeling when you look in the mirror and come face to face with those dreaded roots. It's time for a touch-up. Those are my hair roots, but what about my rural roots? We all have a... Continue Reading →
Growing up in the borderland
As I've mentioned before on this blog, I grew up in what many people would consider the middle-of-nowhere - a family farm just north of the Manitoba-North Dakota border. Because we're so close to the U.S. border we get North Dakota radio and TV stations. Growing up we had FarmerVision, also known as Poor Man's... Continue Reading →
Rural Route Ramblings 