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
International Plowing Match 2026 Draws Largest Crowd Since Pandemic Return Saturday, October 3, 2026 The 2026 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM) has delivered its strongest attendance performance since the event returned following the COVID-19 pandemic, welcoming 71,330 visitors to Bruce County over five days. Held from September 22 to 26 near Walkerton, the event... Read this article online
MS Schippers unveils autonomous barn-cleaning robot Friday, October 2, 2026 The MS Smart Cleaning Robot (see photo montage above) offers three phases on one device for barn cleaning: combining high-pressure washing, chemical foam soaking, and disinfection in a single autonomous pass. A Dutch agricultural technology company is introducing an automated cleaning system... Read this article online
Canada's Productivity Mega Deduction Could Fuel New Farm and Ag-Tech Investment Friday, October 2, 2026 Canada's agriculture sector, food processors, equipment manufacturers, and ag-tech companies could soon benefit from a major new federal tax incentive designed to accelerate investment and economic growth. During a visit to Allan Equipment Manufacturing Ltd. in Charlottetown, Prince... Read this article online
Fertilizer Canada Welcomes Supply Chain and Labour Measures in Bill C-39 Thursday, October 1, 2026 Canada's fertilizer sector is throwing its support behind the federal government's proposed Building Canada Strong Act, saying the legislation could help strengthen the transportation and supply chain systems that are critical to agricultural trade. Fertilizer Canada President and CEO... Read this article online
Ont. farmer thankful for doctor’s push for breast cancer screening Wednesday, September 30, 2026 An Ontario farmer is thankful her doctor persisted in encouraging her to get a mammogram. Sarah Wynn, who co-owns Wynn Farms, an apple orchard and agritourism business in Bath, Ont., wasn’t in a hurry to get the screening. “I didn’t think too much of it, but it was my doctor who kept... Read this article online