As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, I think we owe many thanks to all farmers for everything they do for us.
Farmers deserve to be thanked not once a year, but three times a day. They provide healthy and nutritious food for us and dedicate their lives to doing just that. The food you eat did not magically appear in the grocery store, it came from a farm where a farmer spent time planting, growing, and harvesting the food. So thank you farmers for dedicating your time towards producing quality food.
Did you think that $40 turkey was expensive? What about the farmer who had hundreds of those turkeys and put a lot of money into feeding them and raising them to get them ready for your table. I can tell you it definitely cost them more than $40 to raise that turkey. So thank you farmers for putting a lot of money towards producing quality food.
I’ve always been told and have grown up knowing that farming isn’t just a job, it is a lifestyle. This is a known fact by all farmers both big and small. From the time a farmer wakes up to the time they are asleep they are thinking about their farm and how they can make their farms produce more with what they have. They are thinking about how to produce more food, more efficiently, while maintaining quality for consumers. Farmers dedicate their lives to their farms and to producing food. So thank you farmers for dedicating your lives to producing quality food.
This Thanksgiving remember to be thankful for those that are working day in and day out to produce quality food for you. Most of all, just remember to simply thank a farmer. There are a lot of farmers on social media outlets such as twitter, Facebook, and instagram that do not receive the thanks they deserve.
So here I thank you farmers, for everything you do to produce healthy and nutritious food.
As it is October, I think it is appropriate to post about something everyone has on their minds… pumpkins! Having a small pumpkin farm in my family means that I am a bit more pumpkin crazed than other people (if that’s even possible), but I would like to share with you a few of the MANY uses of pumpkin.
Pie pumpkins in our field
Pumpkin is something a lot of people only believe in using during the month of October, for Thanksgiving and Halloween, or at Christmas. What I don’t understand is, if people are so obsessed with “pumpkin spice everything” during October, why let the obsession stop? Pumpkin is a very versatile fruit, yes a fruit, that is really good for you. Here are my top 3 uses of pumpkin:
1. Baking
One of my hobbies includes baking. My favourite kind of baking includes using pumpkin puree because the recipes are endless and it is SO easy to bake with. Pictured below are some pumpkin spice muffins I made a few weeks ago. If you think they look amazing, well they were. Just for you, here is the recipe link:
A lot of families have squash or turnips with their meals at dinner. Although pumpkin is not technically a vegetable, it still serves beautifully and tastes great too. It is extremely simple to make, just cut the pumpkin in half, take out the “guts”, and put in the oven with any type of dressing you would put on squash and cook it as if it were squash.
3. Beauty
Yes you read that right, pumpkin is not just great to eat it is also great for your skin. Ladies, whip up this homemade pumpkin mask and see the benefits.
These are only 3 of the many uses of pumpkin. I encourage those that only use pumpkin during October to try to use it more and incorporate it into their diets and lifestyles. Pumpkin carries a lot of health benefits that are sometimes forgotten about.
During this week of Ontario Agriculture Week, remember to support local farmers!
I am not from a dairy farm. I am however, a relief milker. This means that I am constantly working on many different dairy farms around my area to help give farmers some extra help. By working on different dairy farms I can tell when the animals are well taken care of and are happy.
After the video that has been recently released from Mercy For Animals Canada, about a large dairy farm that abuses their cattle, I felt that I needed to write this. It shocks me that after one video people seem to think every dairy farm treats their animals like this. I am here to tell you that is in fact, NOT true.
From the time that I pull into the driveway of a dairy farm I am constantly looking around to see how happy and comfortable the cows are. I can honestly say I have NEVER been to a farm that mistreats their animals. Every farm I have ever gone to work on or visit has happy and comfortable cows that spend their days chewing their cud, napping, and enjoy being milked.
Many people believe that farmers do not care for their animals, but farmers do care. Dairy farmers would not be getting up at dawn and staying up late taking care of their animals if they did not care. As a relief milker, I see this and it is truly inspiring to see that level of dedication to making sure that every cow is comfortable, happy, healthy, and safe.
If you want to know the truth about dairy farming please contact a dairy farmer and not the media. If you do not know a dairy farmer, please ask me to put you in touch with one who would gladly speak with you and give you a tour of their farm.
On Thursday, April 24th, 2014 I had the pleasure to speak to the Quebec Farmers’ Association (QFA) in Low, Quebec about marketing and entrepreneurship. I was extremely impressed with the QFA and their use of technology and resources to run successful meetings with other locations across the province. I was also impressed with their keen interest in learning and wanting to go the extra mile to make their farms as successful as possible.
The definition of an entrepreneur from Google is:
“A person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks to do so.”
I completely agree with this and being from a small hobby farm, I understand the challenges of trying to be successful. At our farm near Kemptville, Ontario we direct market everything from a road side stand. Our farm is not big enough to support much income, but any farm has the opportunity to be successful. Everyone’s definition of success is different, but with combining several different attributes to reach that goal, you can be well on the road to success. Here are six of the many different attributes it takes to being a successful agricultural entrepreneur:
1. Opportunistic
No matter what size of farm you have, you always have opportunities that are available to you even if you don’t see them. Opportunities come in many forms such as educational, financial, and networking. Educational opportunities are something farmers should take advantage of because it helps increase your knowledge of what is new and innovative to help increase your farm efficiency.
Farmers can also take advantage of financial opportunities. Marketing crops or cattle is a good example of this. Sometimes the markets spike and the only way to really know how and when to take advantage of this is having a good business sense and knowing when to sell. Many farmers do not enjoy marketing and that is completely okay! If you do not enjoy it, it may be a good idea to invest in a marketing professional that can help make you more money and relieve you of that stress.
Networking opportunities are a great opportunity. Networking can be done at events, through social media outlets such as twitter, or even within your organization. Networking opportunities open up the doors to open communication that may be able to help you gain perspective by knowing what other farmers are doing and why. Networking helps inspire entrepreneurs to become creative and do the best they can do for their farms everyday.
One of my favourite opportunities that farmers can take advantage of is filling a niche market. Whether it is the boom of food grade soybeans or quinoa, there are always new and emerging markets. It’s exciting to watch these markets come up, but it would be even more exciting to be a part of it if it works with your farm’s business plan and goals.
2. Forward Thinking
Although thinking about the future can be a little scary, it is important to always think ahead. As an entrepreneur you need to be thinking about the future of your business and where you want it to be. From there, you can make a business plan that you can use as a guideline to help keep you on the road to success. Using strategies such as short and long-term goal setting are an excellent way to keep you motivated to make your farm the best it can be.
3. Realism
To be realistic you do not need to be pessimistic. Every farm hits bumps in the road that sometimes make you wonder if all of this work is worth it. You need to be realistic about these bumps and how you can work through them. It is much easier to confront any issues and move past it than to avoid it, pretend it isn’t there, and letting it get worse.
Farmers should also try to be as realistic as possible when setting their farm goals. You need to look at what resources you have available to you and look at where you want to be and find the sweet spot where those two converge.
Sometimes there are tedious tasks on farm that you do not enjoy and sometimes do not put in 100% effort to do. One of these tasks is what I mentioned earlier, marketing crops and cattle. When you do not enjoy something, such as marketing, you could be making mistakes and losing money. If you do not enjoy it, invest in a professional to help make you the most successful you can be.
4. Business Sense
Farmers need to remember that farms are a business and they need to be treated like one. Business plans, effective communication, and believing in your product are only a small portion of having a business sense, but they may help you on the road to success. Being aware of what is going on around you and around the world is another part to having a good business sense. Sometimes an opportunity for you may arise from somewhere you may have never thought to look before.
5. Innovation
Farmers are extremely innovative people. A good example of this is when something breaks down and a part can’t come in on time, farmers become extremely creative and innovative to fix it and move on. Utilizing the kind of creativity and innovation could help make your farm more efficient and eventually successful.
Although some farmers cannot avoid being in a routine, such as milking, avoid routine when possible. Routine makes our brains stop thinking ahead and as creatively because we become accustomed to doing things the same way.
Being innovative on farm does not always require financial resources. By remembering to strive to do better everyday with the resources available to you, you are being innovative. There is no shame in not doing something now because you don’t have the resources available. Work towards doing more with what you have.
6. Passion
Saved the best for last! It is no secret that the most successful people are doing what they are most passionate about. Passion is what motivates successful entrepreneurs to do more with what they have and to keep working towards being more successful. Farmers would not do what they do without having some form of passion for this life. Keep that passion alive and don’t give up over a bump in the road.
Photo from Google Images.
These are only six of the many attributes it takes to become a successful entrepreneur, but they are extremely important. The farmers of the QFA showed me they have a drive to be successful and by utilizing that drive they are on the road to success.
Thank you to the Quebec Farmers’ Association for having me speak at your meeting. I learned a lot from you and I hope we were able to learn from each other.
When I tell people I get up at what they call “ungodly hours” to milk cows that are not mine, I always get the same reaction. People think I am crazy for actually getting myself out of bed or taking time out of my day to milk on different farms, but I know that I love it and that’s a good enough reason for me.
I have always loved dairy. I did not grow up on dairy farm, but I always had a love for animals in general that led me into being a member of my local 4-H Dairy Club. During my time in 4-H, I was always learning. I loved seeing the different farms, learning the terminology, and I loved having a constant flow of new knowledge of the industry. This was what kickstarted my passion for dairy.
At one of the farms I worked at during summer 2013, one of the cows decided to take a rest in the middle of the aisle.
If you have any interest in the dairy industry, cattle, or want to get a better understanding of how dairy fits into the world of agriculture I recommend getting into relief milking. Here are my top 3 reasons to LOVE being a relief milker:
You will never be short of work: The whole idea of being a relief milker is that you can help relieve some work off of the farmer. During the cropping season and holidays, if you are a hard working relief milker, you can bet you will be called on!
You will constantly be learning about the industry: Farmers, dairy farmers in this instance, love to talk about their farms. Most of the time this leads into a deep discussion about the dairy industry, how it works, and what other people are doing.
The early mornings are great: I decided to make this a point because it is true. The early mornings offer you a great wake up to working with some amazing animals, a better start to your day, and sometimes even seeing a beautiful sunrise.
Sunrise in summer 2013.
Relief milking is not for everybody, but farmers need a break too. So if you are a hard worker, love animals, and are willing to learn…why not?
Chipotle never fails to surprise me. Over the last few years Chipotle Mexican Grill has released two short animated films on YouTube that portray their perception of what ‘factory farming’ is. Together these videos got over 20 million views. Now, Chipotle has just announced that they will be showing a four-part television series called, “Farmed and Dangerous” to assist in letting consumers know about farmers and their so called unsustainable and inhumane practices. Although that is an impressive marketing strategy, it is wrong.
In an article from The New York Times called “Chipotle Blurs Lines With a Satirical Series About Industrial Farming” the television series will be run on the network Hulu and is supposed to be a comedy. My question to Chipotle is, if your perception of ‘factory farming’ is so terrible, than why are you making it funny? As a consumer, I most likely wouldn’t even take the message they are trying to get across seriously.
To describe what the series will be about, the article from The New York Times states,
“The show tells the story of an idealistic boy who falls for a girl whose father, Mr. Marshall, works for farmers planning to raise cows on petroleum pellets, a move meant to increase the food supply by lowering costs.
At the start of the series, a cow feeding on the pellets explodes. Later episodes begin with snippets of text on issues like the use of antibiotics in meat and food libel laws that make it easier for companies to sue their critics.”
Okay, so how is this supposed to be funny?
Although Chipotle is well known in the United States and has very few restaurants in Canada, Canadian farmers and agriculture professionals should care about this issue. With the power of social media and advertising consumers are getting the wrong message. They think that farmers use unsustainable and inhumane practices are used on all farms and are also confused about where their food comes from.
We have known for a long time that consumers are confused about where their food comes from and many other factors, including Chipotle, push the wrong message. How do we tell the truth about farmers and their practices? Their are many excellent organizations that work towards telling the truth about farmers and their practices, but we need to go one step further.
Farmers and agriculture professionals from all over the world need to work together and stick up for what we know is the truth.
We cannot change what Chipotle Mexican Grill or any other companies or people have done to lie about farmers and farming practices in the past. We can only work towards changing perspectives about this now and in the future.
The New York Times “Chipotle Blurs Lines With a Satirical Series About Industrial Farming”
Why do only some agriculture professionals and farmers network? Why should they network? These are questions I have been asked in the last few months by people working inside and outside of the agriculture industry. Whether you are a farmer or agriculture professional I think you should be networking. Some farmers or agriculture professionals are already networking and they don’t even know it!
The agriculture industry is an industry in the business world and in the business world people network for many reasons. Some of these reasons include:
Gaining contacts for further career guidance and support
Developing your current career
Gaining insight and knowledge into what other likeminded people are doing
In the agriculture industry many people are networking for these exact same reasons and more.
Whether you want to admit it or not, we all need support sometimes. Regardless if it is hiring a farm hand to help finish off planting on a timeline or assistance in completing a project for your company it is not uncommon to need the support. By networking farmers and agriculture professionals are able to gain access into finding the support they need to complete specific projects by a person with a specific skill set. Networking allows farmers and agriculture professionals access to others who may have an ideal person in mind with that skill set.
When I attend agriculture related conferences and meetings and networking is talked about I hear groans across the room. Then I ask, “Are you active on social media sites such as Twitter?” or “Today have you met anyone you have never met before?” In today’s society the answer to both, or at least one of those questions, is yes. Congratulations, you are now networking!
By being active on social media sites farmers and agriculture professionals have opened themselves up to meet new likeminded people and interact with these people at anytime. From my own personal twitter account I know that there are agriculture professionals in western Canada conversing with farmers in places as far away as Australia. This is not uncommon and it truly is exciting to see. Farmers and agriculture professionals are able to ask opinions and see what others are doing all around the world. They are constantly broadening their network of people they know, both online and offline, and gaining knowledge and insight from these new contacts.
The same point is to be said about farmers and agriculture professionals attending conferences and meetings. I always hear the term ‘meeting season’ by most Americans and Canadians involved in agriculture meaning January and February are busy months of learning! At all these meetings and conferences it is not uncommon to meet at least one new person at each event. As you are meeting in person you are able to interact more than you are able to through social media sites, like twitter with a character limit, and therefore gain a stronger connection. This is networking!
Before I had graduated high school my parents always told me how important it was that I start networking. I always used to say, “How do I network?” and their advice, as well as my own learned experiences, has stayed with me today. Here are some tips on how to get started networking:
Begin, continue, or remain active on social media sites. There are plenty of farmers and agriculture professionals all wanting to hear what you have to say.
Attend various conferences and meetings that suit your interests when possible. For example, if you are a cash cropper or an agriculture professional that loves crops in Ontario, consider attending a local Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association meeting.
Learn the art of chit chatting or small talk. You don’t need to have a full out conversation to be remembered.
Think before you speak and find something you have in common with a person.
Approach this networking experience as, “How can I help this person?” We all have strengths, you want to be able to offer yours if needed.
I have heard from a lot of people involved in the agriculture industry that they think they are simply too shy to start off a conversation. Take a breath before you approach networking. It really isn’t as scary as you think! In the end, you will be happy you approached that person.
Happy Networking!
Follow me on Twitter @KelseyBanks or connect with me on LinkedIn.
Agtivity 