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
Animal Health Canada Shares 2030 Goals for Livestock Friday, December 26, 2025 Animal Health Canada (AHC) has outlined five strategic goals it plans to accomplish by 2030 to protect and advance the health and welfare of farmed animals across the country. Working under its One Health and One Welfare approach, AHC aims to unite federal and provincial governments... Read this article online
Pocket Chainsaw: Change the Way You Deal with Pesky Trees and Bushes Friday, December 26, 2025 BY: Zahra Sadiq Are you frustrated with small trees and bushes along your farm's fence line, and tired of the hassle of starting your traditional chainsaw? The pocket chainsaw might be the perfect solution for you. Mountain Lab Gear is a company founded on a passion for the... Read this article online
Maizex Seeds Breaks Ground on $8.8 Million State-of-the-Art Seed Corn Facility in Blenheim Tuesday, December 23, 2025 Maizex Seeds, the seed division of Sollio Agriculture, has announced the groundbreaking of an $8.8 million investment in a new seed corn processing and packaging plant at its Blenheim, Ontario facility. “This is a significant investment by Maizex that not only supports the ability of... Read this article online
Renew CUSMA? Grain groups say yes—but with changes Wednesday, December 17, 2025 The Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA)—known as USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) in the US and T-MEC (Tratado entre México, Estados Unidos y Canadá) in Mexico—is the trade pact that, on July 1, 2020, replaced NAFTA (North American Free Trade... Read this article online
Plants flip genetic switch to survive sudden cold, study finds Wednesday, December 17, 2025 One things for sure—weather happens. When a sudden cold snap hits a farm, it can destroy seedlings slow growth. It can make the season's growth 'iffy' going forward. But like a ray of sunshine, results from a new study offer farmers hope. Scientists have discovered how plants... Read this article online