What to buy a farmer for Christmas: Boot slippers, jackknife, heated hoodie or a coffee mug that really holds the heat

Posted on Dec 10th, 2018 by Jennifer Hannan

Farmers are notoriously hard to buy for. I’ve had a number of people ask me for ideas so I thought that I would share a list of unique things that I have received as “farmer-friendly” gifts over the years. Of course, we always appreciate socks and underwear but it’s always fun to get something a little different. I am also price conscious. Not everyone can afford drones and new tractors.... 

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Two bros, two barns, six robots and one happy father: farmers build second barn for same quota

Posted on Nov 26th, 2018 by Jennifer Hannan

BURGESSVILLE - It didn’t take long for the Droogers to want to change something in their new robotic dairy barn. The family - Bill, 58, and sons Darryl, 35 and Scott, 31 �” started milking in the new barn last December, but immediately had issues with their bedding. The cows were bedded on refined tree bark mulch, but with floor slats and automatic scrapers, the mulch and manure would ball up and plug up the slats. Within a month, the farmers changed the bedding.... 

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WESTERN ONTARIO: How to manage 10,000 acres on 350 parcels of land

Posted on Sep 26th, 2018 by Jennifer Hannan

TILLSONBURG - Farming 10,000 acres on mostly marginal land spread across 350 parcels of land sounds like a recipe for a lot of sleepless nights and pulled-out hair. But the VanQuaethem family have managed it, thanks to an aggressive push towards precision ag and all the technology that entails to make the best of slim profit margins.... 

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