EASTERN ONTARIO: Ontario farm couple built robot dairy barn for next generation

Posted on Nov 20th, 2017 by Jennifer Hannan

FOURNIER - An Eastern Ontario farm couple constructed a dairy barn designed for the future. But whose future is still uncertain. Ken and Peggy Wilkes of Wilkridge Farm at Fournier, a half-hour west of Hawkesbury, erected the new barn even though it’s possible none of their three kids will take over the farm: Leigh-Ann, 27, is an agronomist researcher of canola with Bayer Canada in Saskatoon; Hannah, 26, is a social worker in Edmonton; and Andrew, 22, is finishing his fifth year of civil engineering at Ottawa’s Carleton University. Andrew has shown interest, but is focusing on school and his career for now.... 

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WESTERN ONTARIO: Dairy farm hosting open house after milking in rental for 10 years

Posted on Nov 6th, 2017 by Jennifer Hannan

Mike Bechtel rented an aging dairy barn for 10 years. But with a growing family and a desire to expand the farm it was time to move on. Bechtel had been renting from a neighbour, about 10 minutes from the home farm, north of Cambridge, since 2007. He grew up on a dairy and broiler chicken farm run by his father and uncle. But when the two went their separate ways, Bechtel’s uncle took the cows and his father kept the broiler chickens. “I had always enjoyed working with the cows, so it was never really a question of what industry I was going to get into,” Bechtel said.... 

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Ontario’s new rules for AZ licensing get mixed review from farm country

Posted on Oct 25th, 2017 by Jennifer Hannan

CAMPBELLFORD - Ontario overhauled the rules for getting an AZ license in July, a move that some farmers, elevator operators and truckers feel threatens to make an unpopular job even less popular. The province announced the move after a Toronto Star investigation revealed dozens of what it called “degree mills,” unaccredited colleges that cranked out diplomas, teaching truck drivers how to pass a road test and little else. The new requirements stipulate budding truckers using air brakes will need at least 103.5 hours of road time before they can even take a test.... 

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