This Fit Farmer topic can be likened to when a parent tells their child to eat their vegetables, or how a person knows they should floss their teeth, but never do it. On this episode of the Fit Farmer podcast, hosts Shaun Haney and Gary Chambers talk about stretching and the associated benefits, and why… Read More
The premise of Thanksgiving is one I really like to hang on to. Just ask my family — get togethers consist of group hugs I insist upon (despite multiple groans), and Thanksgiving dinner always includes taking a moment to really think about what we are thankful for, before of course digging into tasty foods. As… Read More
Biologically speaking, some stress is good for the body. Stress responses are necessary at times to act quickly, to run, or to see a project through. That said, too much stress or being under stress for too long can lead to both mental and physical hardship. Farmers, as a group, are 68 per cent more… Read More
The Ontario government has committed $385,000 to expand “In the Know” to more communities in the province, in an effort to expand mental health support for farmers, their families, and employers. In the Know is a made-in-Ontario mental health literacy program designed for the farming community. It officially launched in March of this year. Currently,… Read More
The Successors is a RealAgriculture podcast series hosted by Kara Oosterhuis focusing on agriculture from the perspective of the up-and-coming generation. What does it take to successfully farm with your family? How do you tackle multiple roles on the farm, and involvement with commodity groups? Why do we need to celebrate the successes in years… Read More
The governments of Canada and Ontario are funding three new initiatives to support and promote mental health in Ontario’s farming and rural communities. The initiatives are designed to improve the mental health services available to Ontario’s agricultural sector and help ensure farmers, their families and their employees have additional places to turn when help is… Read More
The Do More Ag Foundation has set a fundraising goal of $5 million to launch a national, bilingual, 24-hour agriculture-focused support line. Adelle Stewart, executive director of Do More Ag Foundation, says the anonymous phone-in line, called AgTalk, is a response to the industry’s call for national support accessible from anywhere at any time of day…. Read More
The Successors is a RealAgriculture podcast series hosted by Kara Oosterhuis focusing on agriculture from the perspective of the up-and-coming generation. What does it take to make critical decisions? How do you navigate developing a leadership style? Why do we sometimes need to take the advice of others, and understand that tomorrow is another day?… Read More
Feeling busy? Join the club. It’s branding season. A cool drawn-out spring in Western Canada has not allowed for many breaks, and spray season is now upon us. Insect monitoring has begun. Cattle is moving to grass. Yard work never ends. Chemical needs to be delivered. The list goes on. Did I mention it’s busy?… Read More
It’s time for another episode of the FitFarmer podcast with co-hosts Shaun Haney and Gary Chambers! The focus this time: cycling. Through the pandemic, demand has been through the roof for items such as skis, snowboards, and golf clubs. Another one to add to the list: bicycles. Whether it be road bikes or mountain bikes,… Read More
The Do More Agriculture Foundation (Do More Ag), a not-for-profit championing mental health in agriculture across Canada, welcomed three new board members: Amy Vanderheid, Liz Jarvis, and Lauren Martin. Amy Vanderheid, a farmer from Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, is the president of the Chicken Producers Association of Nova Scotia, and co-founded the Maritime Ag Women’s… Read More
Rural and urban communities have felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic differently. From gaps in healthcare, to transport challenges and through to isolation, the pandemic has brought to light some significant differences between city and rural dwellers. Dr. Gabe Woollam, a family physician based at Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador, and president of the Society… Read More
It’s that time of the year. Animals are having their young. Frost is leaving the soil. Spring has officially “sprung.” This is such an exciting season. Personally, it’s one of my favourites. Spring feels like New Year’s Day to me, as it feels like a fresh start again. Time to start the garden. Time to… Read More
For anyone who knows Shaun Haney, they know he’s someone who is constantly thinking and evaluating what is going on around him. What has he been thinking about this week? On this RealAg LIVE! we’ve got a special “Freestyle Friday” where Shaun has an interactive chat with the audience, mixed with clips on his topic… Read More
It’s unsurprising that animal rights extremist groups are challenging Ontario’s Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, passed in 2020. The challenge, levelled by Animal Justice, alleges that the regulation violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms’ guarantee of freedom of expression. The province says its bill was crafted “in a manner to protect the… Read More