FCC Knowledge: Talking Farm and Food

Sherri Pauls is a farmer from Southern Manitoba – but you might know her better from her hilarious take on farm life on Instagram as The Ginger Mom. She married into agriculture 17 years ago - and that can take some adjusting to.

In this episode, Sherri and Marty explore making that transition into farm life, the family dynamics that go with it and how resiliency, regular farms meetings and open communication – and of course, humour - are key to making their business a success.

Jill Harvie of Harvie Ranching is one of the most well-known cattle breeders in the industry. And managing a cutting-edge operation with a global reach gives her a lot of insight.

In this episode of Talking Farm and Food, Marty and Jill talk cows, knowing your customers, using data and why making time for "in the office work" is critical to business success.

Doug Bryson and his fiancé, Stephanie, feel they've "won the chicken lottery," but this young couple's poultry farming dream could only be achieved with the help of some amazing people and support programs.

In this episode of Talking Farm and Food, Marty and Doug talk about the ups and downs of chicken farming and how mentorship and a supportive farming community can empower young farmers to realize their dreams.

How do you build a rapidly growing business - even during a pandemic? Emma Butler, owner of J & E Meats, along with her husband have managed to grow their farm into a successful storefront operation.

In this episode of FCC Knowledge: Talking Farm and Food, Marty talks to Emma about her innovative approach to sales, telling the story of your food and building a personal brand through social media.

Garnet Martin of Evergreen Wood Creek Farms and his junior partners are at the end of their farm transition journey. While they've overcome hard times, his family's open and intentional approach to the process brought it to a successful fruition.

In this two-part episode of FCC Knowledge: Talking Farm and Food, Marty and Garnet discuss transition from a senior partner's perspective. Garnet shares his philosophy on bringing advisors together and the hard work and pride in seeing your kids take over the farm.

And be sure to check out part one, where we talk to a junior partner from a different operation about his farm transition experience.

Michael Ferguson of Wilmar Farms and his family are in a great spot with their transition. They transferred decision-making control early and maintained the family relationships – an ideal outcome. But it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. Even when he tried to do everything right, there were roadblocks along the way.

In this two-part episode of FCC Knowledge: Talking Farm and Food, Marty and Mike discuss transition from a junior partner's perspective. Mike shares the importance of trust, hard conversations and taking the time and patience to make it work.

And stay tuned for part two, where we talk transition from a senior partners perspective.

Aimée Ferré Stang is a woman in agriculture – but if you met her, she likely wouldn't call herself a farmer. She didn't grow up on the farm. She doesn't drive a tractor. But there's no question she's a major contributor to her operation.

In this episode of FCC Knowledge: Talking Farm and Food, Marty and Aimée discuss the roles of women in agriculture, accepting and defining her many contributions to the operation and the balancing act it takes to raise a family and grow her off-farm career.

How does an engineering degree help you raise grass-fed beef? For Ben Campbell, of Grazed Right Ranch, his unconventional path to agriculture was informed by the critical thinking and problem-solving he learned at school. In this episode of the FCC Knowledge podcast: Talking Farm and Food, Marty and Ben talk about using your numbers and how benchmarking and ongoing learning informs decision-making and helps Ben achieve balance.

Todd Baker and his Ontario tree nursery are no stranger to adversity. In 2003, when an ash borer pest infestation wiped out over half of his business, he needed a plan to survive — and he did. In this episode of Talking Farm and Food, Todd shares what his operation had to do to overcome financial challenges. He also talks to Marty about his experience as a consultant, his adoption of tech and advice for anyone who manages people.

Todd and Jennifer Payne of Asphodel Sheep Company in Central Ontario always had big dreams of becoming full-time farmers – but it took time and planning to get there. In this episode, we'll learn about their journey from off-farm employment to purchasing Shepherd's Choice, one of the sheep industry's leading genetics operations.

Learn more about the Payne's unique transition story in this AgriSuccess article.