Sidebar 4: Cathy McKay, 55, South of Port Perry (Durham Region) Monday, May 4, 2009 McKay is the main operator of Nature's Bounty, a farm which she owns with her husband, Marvin Stevenson. They have one son. An apple orchard is the 100-acre farm's primary focus. She also grows pumpkins, squash, gourds, decorative corn and the operation includes 40 ewes, pasture and alfalfa. In the mid-1990s, the couple shifted the farm from exclusively wholesale apple sales to on-farm retail and wholesale. Greatest success. Implementing the transition from wholesale to retail and transforming the farm from a money loser to a profitable business.Greatest challenge. "Being pulled in many directions. Sometimes people don't understand that you are working. Yes, you're home, yes you have some flexibility, but you are working."Words of advice. Farming is a "huge commitment," she says. "You have to really like it." Sidebar 5: Laura Kivits, 32, Dalkeith (Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry) Sidebar 3: Trudy Reid, 29, District of Thunder Bay
Central Ontario FS Expands Grain Network with Acquisition of Haley's Elevator in Burford Friday, July 31, 2026 Central Ontario FS is strengthening its presence in southwestern Ontario after signing a purchase agreement to acquire Haley's Elevator Inc., a long-established grain handling facility located in Burford. The acquisition marks another step in the growth of the company's grain elevator... Read this article online
How Busch turned bales into advertising dollars for farmers Wednesday, July 29, 2026 Busch is taking a different approach to advertising in rural Canada by moving marketing dollars from city billboards directly into farmers’ fields. The brand’s new “Baleboard” campaign transforms hay bales into oversized six-pack displays inspired by Busch’s limited-edition Farmer’s Pack.... Read this article online
Great Ontario Yield Tour Seeks Volunteer Farm Fields as Final Crop Tour Events Approach Tuesday, July 28, 2026 Ontario farmers have an opportunity to help shape one of the province's most closely watched crop assessments as the Farms.com Great Ontario Yield Tour prepares for another season of field scouting and yield forecasting. The annual tour is currently seeking volunteer farmers who are... Read this article online
Canada Opens Interprovincial Alcohol Sales Monday, July 27, 2026 A major change to Canada's internal marketplace is set to create new opportunities for wineries, breweries and distilleries after nine provinces signed a landmark agreement allowing direct-to-consumer sales of alcoholic beverages across participating jurisdictions. The deal is being hailed... Read this article online
Ontario Spinach is a Relatively Small Crop for the Province Monday, July 27, 2026 Canadians are eating more fresh leafy greens than ever, and spinach continues to be one of the most popular choices in salads,smoothiesand prepared foods– but it islikely notCanadian. Spinach production is highly concentrated in a small number of growing regions across North America.... Read this article online