The Beauty in the Chaos

- A 10 year old boy leading his first 4-H calf around the yard

- Stacking hay bales with dad

- Driving the John Deere 4020 seeding for the first time at 12 years old

These are things I experienced growing up and the only record of it is in my mind. Is that necessarily a bad thing? Many would say no, but what if I could look back or share those moments with you now?

This is how I approach social media. I have these moments in time that I can capture and share. Don't get me wrong, this is as much for myself as it is for anyone else. I enjoy looking back at the year on my farm. Things I accomplished or just the beautiful sunsets or pictures of equipment working in the field. These moments may resonate with others because the story and the emotion are right there on the surface.

The last few years on social media especially on Twitter I've shared my days and my thoughts and a few bad jokes. I guess I'm a bit of a story teller and I love putting words to feelings and moments in time and I enjoy making people smile or laugh. It's never just who sees what I posted but more how I feel about what I've shared and how I hopefully make them feel. The days on the farm can conjure up memories. I've played and worked in the same few acres my whole life and I know these fields like the back of my hand.

So when I see something that really stops me I take a picture and share it but also tell the story. 

I came back to the yard one night to this, our 100 year old barn backdropped by an amazing sunset

I could have just sat and watched it for a few seconds and moved on but I didn't. I took a picture and now I have that memory forever. I also shared it with others on social media who also got to enjoy it as well. I've seen this photo shared several times across different social medias and it's awesome others got to enjoy it also. It's a way to share my story and these moments in time. 

I've been asked several times why I do it? What made me start telling my story on social media and why do I even care to do it?

For me it's a way to share my days with others and tell the story of farming in Alberta through my eyes. There is a lot of negativity on social media and it can often overtake all of the good.

I try to share the great things I see everyday and tell the positive story of Agriculture.

It's my way to add some beauty and maybe even a smile in amongst the chaos...

John,

KowalchukFarms

The Faces of Agriculture

    I fortunately grew up knowing many people in the agriculture industry. So when I think of a farmer I can picture my dad, mom, brother and several neighbors and friends as well. But what if you never met a farmer or anyone in the industry? What if your whole life was spent in a city or town and you only knew what you saw in a book or in a magazine? Your view of a farmer would be totally different, wouldn't it?

   Many of the people with no previous connection to Ag often have two preconceptions of farmers. Either they feel we are stuck in the past and live a very simple life of straw hats and pitch forks. Or that farms are these large faceless factories trying to poison them! These are wild notions as neither is based in fact or is true at all. The fact is that farms are very diverse and each one is set up differently. All the way from the small roadside vegetable farm to the large cattle ranches and broad acre farms. They all can tell a story of how the men and women who work there take pride in growing or raising safe healthy food.

   Many farms are using technology to farm better and more efficiently. From seed development to equipment advancements agriculture has come a long way since the horse and plow. Today's farmers are utilizing global positioning and auto steer on many of their equipment to be able to apply nutrients and seed more precisely. This technology helps farmers apply just what is needed to grow the crop with very little wasted nutrients. We are growing more with less as farming advances!

   But there are many outside of our industry trying to tell our story to fit their agenda. They share images that vilify farmers and show a very distorted view of what we do. So maybe we should take the lead instead of allowing others to tell the story of Agriculture! We are the ones on the ground doing the work and have the opportunity to show everyone the truth about farming.

   Whenever I'm in the city much to the dismay of my kids I often get around to mentioning that I'm a farmer. Sometimes I get very sincere questions and sometimes they just say "you don't look like a farmer" It always makes me wonder what image of a farmer do they have in their head? Have we allowed others to set that image of our industry?

   The story books many grew up with show a stereotypical type of farmer. One walking around a barnyard with a straw hat and a piece of wheat straw in their mouth. Todays farmer deals with high tech equipment and machinery daily. From the dairy farmer to the grain farmer we have to understand technology and most of the industry has embraced it as a way to do a better and safer job of farming. The level of education in our industry is as high as many others also. From College and University graduates to those who worked in many other industries before choosing to farm and some still work two jobs. Many of the values of the farms in the past remain but the farms themselves have utilized advanced technology as fast as any other industry out there.

   So what do the Faces of Agriculture look like? That was the question I posed to others in my industry and many of them responded. Families working side by side or with their livestock. These man and women work very hard day in and day out to produce safe healthy food for themselves, their families and all of you. The 2% feeding the other 98% allowing them to work in other industries making all our lives better!

So if you are a farmer or work in Ag, never be afraid to share with others that you are a part of the agricultural industry. Tell your story on social media. Share pictures of what farming really is all about. Answer the questions in the grocery line and tell them about our great industry. Represent us well, you may be the only farmer they ever meet and you speak for us all

And you could end up being the positive "Face of Agriculture"...

Check out #FacesOfAgriculture on Social Media

Kowalchuk Farms

A Rising Tide

      Now you may not agree with all that I say below but if we agreed on everything we wouldn't be farmers :) It's what makes us challenge the status quo and strive to always improve but it also makes us struggle to share knowledge and work together. We tend to be competitive within the farming community and that can be a major road block to our industry. 

So here goes nothing :) 

    The last 20 years or so has seen many advancements in Agriculture. We've had GPS guidance and auto steer become main stream and also seen huge steps forward in crop breeding and varieties. The equipment we are using is getting larger and more advanced. But with these advancements we've also had more and more concerns coming from consumers.

   They've started to question more about how their food is produced and what we do as farmers before it reaches their plates. Most consumers have become so removed from the farming industry that they no longer have the same trust in farmers and what we produce. In the past farmers just grew or raised the product and consumers bought it, but now with this ever growing separation they crave to learn more about the story behind their food.

    So unless you live under a rock you will also know that the last few years we've seen massive growth in Social Media. The fact is billions of people are on it daily in one form or another. We use it to learn about happenings around the world or just to have a laugh. During this time many in Agriculture have seen huge increases in followers and interaction. Once again consumers are wanting to learn more about where their food is coming from and want to hear the story behind it. YouTube videos from farmers now see upwards of a million views and have many non-farmer followers. I've seen farmers on Instagram and TikTok with 50,000 followers who regularly post what is going on around their farm and receive numerous comments from consumers around the world.

    With this ever growing form of Ag promotion and sharing the story of our industry some have done quite well. Many have started to market things from their farms like T-shirts and other swag. They have moved from Social Media to promoted podcasts and even radio and TV. I've seen lately a few are now sponsored by large companies and may even get an opportunity to demo the newest equipment on their farm. Their reach has become sought after and they've worked hard to get to that point.

    This is bound to stir up differing feelings in some people but in my opinion these farmers have become our frontline. They are the ones doing the majority of the heavy lifting when it comes to growing or maintaining the respect and trust of the everyday consumer. They put in countless hours above the regular farming day. We may not all see it but they are promoting our industry and helping all of us.

    This diverse group of men and women are sharing on all forms of social and mainstream media. This is just a few of them 

    The YouTube sheep farmer who has millions of views and displays everyday the caring and vulnerability of livestock producers. This only goes to show that farming isn't a factory but a personal connection between a farmer and their animals. Even though many of us don't raise sheep I see her changing the public perception of our whole industry in a positive way.

   Or the Instagram sisters who share photos of them and their farm as well as including information about farming and its struggles. They are able to reach a whole new demographic with their love of fashion and honestly may be the only farmers many of these people will ever really interact with. They do a great job of messaging and broadening the view of what being a farmer means.

  How about the Twitter farmer, turned podcaster, turned radio guy, turned TV guy :) Many other farmers like to grind his gears but in America he has become the face that many associate with farming. He's not just telling his or his families story he has created a venue in which many of us get to share our story to a larger audience! Yet he continues to be ridiculed by others in our industry?

   Then there is the media guy most of us Canadian farmers look to for news and information about our industry. Many of you may feel he only has a farming audience and the news he shares is only for our benefit but I see it a different way. These are the stories that many across our country will see when they ask google about Agriculture in Canada. He has also allowed many of us to share our farming story. So take the time to contribute to his platform if you get a chance. Once again he is amplifying our voice.

  And the YouTube grain farmers. They can have a post go viral overnight with millions of people from around the world watching and asking questions. If you have ever watched them you know they make videos in times when many of us farmers are so busy we won't even return a text. Yet they continue to share in the good and the bad times. Obviously they love what they do, the farming and also telling the story. They often do it with a bit of flare but that's what makes people tune in and continue to view their videos. They are entertainers telling our story and enhancing the view of our industry in a positive way.

    So when I see them being put down or attacked for demoing a combine, selling a T-shirt or being sponsored by a company it makes me sad. It takes me back to the initial comments I made about us not working together, not being proud of those in our industry who push forward and who have had success. Just because they have done well it doesn't diminish anything we have done. It's like the neighbor who has the great crop and nobody talks about it, but god forbid the drill plugs by the highway and it's front page news :) This competitive mindset is very counter productive. We all need to work together for the sake of our industry

 "A rising tide lifts all ships"

    It's something I've always subscribed to. When I watch the work this group of women and men are doing I only see good things coming from it for all of us. Our industry needs to tell it's story and share the good, the bad and even the ugly of what it's like to be a farmer. It takes effort and these individuals are doing it day in and day out. Being genuine, putting themselves out there and telling OUR story.

   So the next time you see a farmer post something that promotes and represents our industry in a good positive way or has some success doing it take the time to acknowledge them. Don't be that person who dismisses the nice crop, be the one who celebrates other people's success

These times ahead will take all of us working together.

And remember...the world is watching

John

KowalchukFarms

Life and Farming during a Global Pandemic

How will we explain to those who aren't alive yet what this current time was like? This possible defining moment of a generation? Or will this just be another blip in the history books or should I say on Google search? I started thinking and I just needed to write this down...

Dear Future:

   Early in the first part of 2020 something happened. As I write this it's still happening. Somewhere in the world a virus started and it swept around the globe causing chaos and loss of life. Many businesses are currently shut down and millions are unemployed. The economies of most nations are in turmoil and many are facing huge deficits. Some argue we are over reacting and others say we are facing one of the greatest threats ever, but the facts are lives are being lost and people are doing what they can to stop this.

  This is certainly not a rosy picture I've painted so far but this isn't something anyone wants to take lightly. Social distancing has become a thing. I had never even heard this phrase uttered before but it means keeping distance between you and others so as not to spread the virus. People no longer shake hands but politely nod or wave and have a conversation from a minimum of 6 feet away. All non essential travel has stopped

   Now that you have a little background as to what's going on right now let's move on to why I felt I needed to write this down. I'm a farmer in Central Alberta and most would say we are some of the least affected as we live in smaller communities or in the country and are used to being alone unlike our neighbors in the bigger centers. We also are seeing less deaths and less cases but that is mostly a numbers thing and we are just as exposed as anyone. Farming has been declared an essential service as well as many other businesses and services that we need to live. This allows us to continue on doing our jobs in this new environment.

   But farming has changed in the day to day things that we do. I now phone in and have parts or filters dropped off outside the farm dealership and no longer enter it. When I pick up oil at the local supplier it is set outside and I grab it and they bill me. The grain elevators have all gone to no contact and we drop off our grain and don't go in and visit or grab a coffee. These are all minor inconveniences compared to getting sick or spreading this disease. But they all still affect us in a peculiar way. This lack of interaction with people is very disconcerting. It isn't normal and it feels awkward but we are doing it because we realize it's necessary but this realization doesn't make it easier and we shouldn't be afraid to talk about it and share how it makes us feel.

   Seeding is to start in a few weeks and many are concerned what will happen with suppliers and also worried about what happens if I get sick during this very busy and important time of the year for us in Agriculture. We have one shot at this every year and it decides the fate of everything that comes after. If we are late planting this can push back harvest and can cause quality concerns or possibly even leaving crop out over winter. If we mess up because we aren't feeling good it can cause the crop to be less than what it should have been and with thin margins and bills to pay we cannot afford screw ups. It weighs heavy on my mind. I'm 52 and fairly healthy but if I get it I could get very sick or worse. Many farms hire help to get the crop in and are facing huge challenges. Some are laying off help or choosing to do more themselves to avoid the possibility of getting ill. This means some farmers will work longer hours and this can put a huge strain on them both mentally and physically. This on top of the stress that most are already under due to our new reality and the fact some still have harvest left from 2019 that will have to be picked up before planting can start. I realize many other industries are facing huge challenges as well at this time but I am a farmer and can only speak to what I know.

  Once again this story is not getting any better. This is something that 6 months ago I would have thought of as a bad Sci Fi movie plot but sadly no it's our new normal at least for a while.

But the doom and gloom isn't the whole story

   The last few weeks thankfully have also had small glimmers of something better. Some bits of humanity showing through in all the chaos. Families forced to stay home have reconnected. Students with school being cancelled are home with their parents and still learning remotely but also learning directly through life experiences and time with family. Board games and puzzles have become a cherished commodity as people look for something to fill the void and are experiencing similar things to generations before us who didn't have all the distractions and bustle that we accept as normal in our current society. My family has been playing games and socializing around the table the way I did growing up. People are reaching out through Skype, Face time or Zoom and taking the time to check in on each other. There have been incidences of people singing off their balconies in Italy and helping neighbors by entertaining them and allowing them to escape for a while. People in our home town are taking groceries to seniors and other vulnerable people so that they can stay safe at home. We are buying local which is always a good thing but has become more a necessity now as everyone has restricted how much they travel outside of the community.

   We will feel the repercussions of this for a long time there is no doubt in my mind. But just like any challenge put before us we must face it head on and deal with it one day at a time. Make the decisions for the long haul. Small sacrifices now will pay dividends in the future and our children will thank us for it. We will eventually be able to shake that friends hand. Have a beer with a buddy or a coffee with a neighbor. These are just little things but are still important to our well being.

   So from this Central Alberta farmer sitting at home on Easter Sunday in front of his computer social distancing and typing. Thank you for staying home. Thank you for thinking of others and not just yourselves.

Hope this finds you safe and healthy

Your friend
John Kowalchuk
(Regular Farmer)

 

Social Media, The good the bad and the ugly

I just reread a point of view write up about Social Media by a fellow farmer.

He has decided to log out of all his accounts because of many things and I respect his decision. It can be tough with people being very negative and some try to constantly bring you down. I know he faced lots of backlash from certain groups because he was what I call a front line person in Ag Twitter. He responded to many of them and honestly that would be exhausting in itself.

He also chose to walk away because he felt it was addictive and this is very true. It's easy to get lost in it if you don't learn to self moderate. Limit how often you check it and shutting off notifications on all devices is the first step. Filter out what you don't want so you can focus on the useful or entertaining parts. The negativity is hard to take but the good stuff is mixed in with it, very similar to regular life. It doesn't have to be all consuming if you don't let it be. The bad and ugly side of Social Media are prevalent don't get me wrong but choosing to focus on that part is a decision.

How about all the good things about Social Media? 

I've made friends who I have met in person and am very thankful for. These are people from all across the country that I know for a fact I never would have ran across otherwise. Many farming events I go to now I run into people that I follow on Twitter and I already have that connection with them. I think in agriculture we've embraced Twitter because it's just like the coffee shops of our parents or grandparents. Our lives are so fast paced that we don't always have time to sit and have a coffee and visit which is sad but it's a fact.

I've learned so much from so many other farmers on Twitter. I am doing things on my farm that I wouldn't have even known about otherwise. If I have a question on the farm it's not like I can google it most times so I ask Ag Twitter and get answers almost instantly. If I have a problem on the farm more than likely another farmer somewhere has had that same one and has solved it and this is almost always true.

Another positive is I get the opportunity to share my day with people from all across the world. People from all the continents of the world see my farm the way I see it. From the sunsets or sunrises to the days on the tractor or combine out working by myself and I have the chance to take them along for the journey. The long days in the field go quicker for me when I share them. The questions about what I'm doing can be very interesting or I may comment on someone's post and have a discussion that way. This is the social part of Social Media. It's where we interact and get to know people and have good discussions.

I've taken steps back in the past and evaluated what I want to get out of Social Media and I think that's important. If you're here to change peoples minds you're here for the wrong reasons. Share your story, have discussions and just like a good conversation listen to what others have to say and don't be afraid to like or comment. It can be disheartening some days but to walk away from it totally isn't for me. 

It's just like anything else moderation is important but don't lose all the good because you can't see past some of the challenges.

Bots and Data: My opinion on Technology in this new age of Ag

The Kowalchuks(1974)

   I've always been one to keep up with technology throughout my life. It started back when I was around 10 years old when I was able to set up the VCR and Betamax for my parents and could always get the TV to work and had no problem setting all the digital clocks in the house. My understanding of technology continued on in High school with computers and repairing electronics.

   This love of technology flowed right into my farming career. Beginning in the early 80's things really weren't that much different from when my dad had began farming in the 50's. Equipment had changed slightly but technology wasn't moving forward very quickly. Our Gleaner combine was more comfortable to operate but the machine itself had really no added tech from our 980 NH from the early 70's. I tried to update things back then by pulling the old AM radios out of most of the early equipment and adding at the least a cassette player. The biggest update for me during this time period from 1980-1990 were nicer cabs, radios and air conditioning :)

   Then the 90's hit and Seeding technology began to change for us on our farm. We purchased a Bourgault air seeder and after I installed the  149 controller and switch in the 835 Versatile my dad put his arms in the air and said "That's it, this is too high tech you will have to do all the seeding from now on" He was not very tech savvy not unlike many in his generation. In their defense they hadn't seen any real advancements in electronics and didn't need to adapt so this era was really the first major changes they had seen. They had pioneered new crops and varieties but technology was always secondary and that was about to change.

  The 90's for me was a transition period with my dad doing steadily less and me taking on a more active roll. It was the initial roll out of genetically engineered seed and the beginning of widespread use of glyphosate. I was going to farm shows and reading as much on farming as I could. Summer fallow became a thing of the past as we looked at ways of keeping as much moisture in the ground as possible. Advancements in weed control and seed technologies helped with this transition as well. By the late 90's our production per acre had increased dramatically and we had a broader crop rotation with the full time introduction of canola. Still technology was on the back burner through most of the 90's and advancements in communications (cell phone) and the addition of a truck and grain trailer were the most useful additions I saw.




    I don't remember the exact day in the early 2000's but I stopped in at our local farm dealership and they had this gizmo they were demoing called a light bar. It used a GPS signal for triangulation and then would guide you in a straight line. Instantly I knew where I could get good use of this. So I signed up to demo it and tried it out in my sprayer. Spraying was my most disliked job on the farm. It was always so stressful because I saw the inefficiencies and felt helpless. By the end of the day of using the light bar I had a bit of a headache from following the multi colored dots but I really felt I had done a better job. I saw such potential in this and immediately bought one. This technology advanced quite quickly to include auto steer and auto shut off and mapping. In a matter of 5 years we went from nothing all the way to as-applied mapping and auto steer. What an amazing advancement in farming in these times. Not only did it help with efficiencies but saved us money. The environmental  impact of less over application was clear as well and the ROI was undeniable.


   Now fast forward to today. Once again over the last 10 years we have seen advancements in capacity in equipment not unlike the 1970's and 1980's. Comfort has gotten better as cabs become more sound proof and the use of ergonomic controls. The introduction of tracks have helped many to maintain width specs and help with flotation but honestly the tech side has come to a standstill in my opinion. Equipment manufacturers have made things more complicated as they have increased capacity. We don't see the tech as it is buried deep inside the machinery we buy. Is this good? or is this technology for the sake of technology? I know there is reasons for these changes. Some are government regulated like pollution technology and the use of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF)  but honestly some of these changes seem to be done not to make our lives easier but more complicated.

  Recently a new revolution seems to be brewing, a data revolution. Many companies have jumped on the band wagon and are claiming to help us utilize all the data/information we are creating on our own farms. Yield data and equipment-use data along with comparisons to other producers could help us to increase productivity but at what cost? Is there an ROI or return on investment? The deeper we dig into these numbers and get to field by field or even acre by acre it does give us the opportunity to see how we can work on efficiencies and by comparing numbers to other producers maybe see where deficiencies are. But is this the huge next step in agriculture? Is this the thing that will breed the next round of innovation? I honestly don't know for sure but I do know that on its own it has some value but it's limited value on my farm so far.

  In my opinion a technology deficit has started to emerge in agriculture and by that I mean it's not keeping up with advancements in other industries. For years I felt that agriculture technology was leading the way with advancements but lately I no longer see it. I think companies need to address problems on the farm and not come up with solutions looking for a problem.

I asked myself the question:
What are some problems on the farm that I'd like to see technology address?

-How about the weather?
I'm not talking Drew Lerner long terms, he does a great job but the further you go out in the forecast it's bound to get more and more complicated. I'm talking short term or 2 week forecasts. These could greatly increase our productivity by allowing us to have trustworthy forecasts that we could base farming practices on. Very often I will make management decisions during harvest based on a flawed weather forecast. If my grain marketer had the same record I would have fired them years ago. But is a better short term forecast even possible? I would hope someone out there already has the answer or is working hard to get there!

-How about Variable rate applications of seed and fertilizer?
Many companies claim to know what they are doing but in my area rain is so variable and land is rolling so can they really give me the yields I want consistently while also saving me money? There is no doubt we over apply in some areas but which areas? Will my low areas this year be my best producers or be over saturated early causing plant loss and end up being my lowest yield. Which will it be this year?  I know I'll get lots of people thinking that if he tried my program he'd be hooked because we know what we're doing but I feel it isn't fool proof and more research and advancements need to occur before it's widely accepted so don't @me :). I know the reasoning behind it is sound as over application of fertilizer isn't sustainable economically or good for our environment and I am trying Variable Rate out on my farm as I do see value in it.

-How about autonomous equipment?
Automation is a hot topic that is being mentioned more and more with the introduction of DOT, an automated multi tool for the farm. It can seed, spray. roll, haul a grain cart plus many other applications. This is amazing technology and very well could be the future of agriculture throughout the world as less and less people want to be on the farm. Imagine if this takes over? Currently around 2% of the population of the world are farmers what will that number go to? Could eventually less than 1% of humans be involved in broad acre agriculture? Is this a good thing moving forward as we move further away from the personal aspect of food production. Another question, does automation have an immediate application on my farm like the light bar did? It definitely would help somewhat with productivity. Would it make me a better farmer though? Would it save me money? Is replacing humans the answer to better productivity? Will this clear the way for large automated farms of the future? Just like most technology this product raises many new questions for me and answers very few.

My expectations for the next big thing in agriculture may be too high? I also may be getting cynical in my old age not unlike my father. But I still hold out hope that someone is out there with an idea. It might be very simple or maybe very complex. Someone who looks at the potential in agriculture and wants to see us reach that.

Maybe it's someone who embraces technology but understands it is only valuable if it makes our lives easier, solves a problem or helps us to be more efficient in this lifestyle we've chosen.

I challenge the Ag technology and equipment industry to do better. Simplify where possible while still advancing where needed!

It's not rocket science...


 

Farmer to Farmer 2018: From Rumsey to Omaha

  
   I was very fortunate to get the opportunity to attend the FBN Farmer to Farmer conference in Omaha Nebraska this year. Back a few weeks ago I was looking through twitter and saw that they had started a contest to win a trip and the question was “What is the biggest issue in farming that no one is talking about?” I was working at the farm that day and thought about it quite a bit before I made a video describing my answer. It was only a 30 second video talking about my answer but I could have definitely expanded on that. My answer was that as farmers we need to have one voice. Whether we are organic or conventional farmers and no matter what form of production we utilize we all need to speak with a single voice and not put the other practices down to consumers or the media.
  In this day an age with more consumers demanding to know where their food comes from we have to be careful not to add to the misconceptions being sold by organizations who are pushing their own agendas. I know of many conventional farmers who talk badly about organics and also organic farmers putting conventional farmers and GMO products in a bad light. The fact is rising water raises all ships and we need to move forward as a consolidated group. Only by showing all forms of food production are safe and healthy will we be able to quiet the naysayers and hopefully gain back some of the consumer trust.
  
   I luckily was chosen from the submissions and won the trip. They played my video at the beginning of day 2 and it was a pretty cool moment to see the Rumsey farm on the big screen in Omaha!

Click here for my video:)

   On December 12th my wife and I flew from Calgary Alberta to Omaha, Nebraska. At the show in Omaha on day 1 we had the opportunity to hear Captain Sullenberger speak or you might know him as Sully from miracle on the Hudson. He talked about being prepared for situations by focusing on the training. He also said how it was a team effort and he couldn’t have done it alone. These lessons apply to Agriculture as well. We sometimes feel we are in this alone and we should just look after our own interests. In fact we are not in this alone and need to work as a team if we want to move Ag into the next millennium. He talked about the training and how it helped in his successful landing on the Hudson. In farming we tend to overlook the training and preparation involved. Taking the time to educate yourself by attending conferences like Farmer to Farmer will pay dividends in the future by training our minds to never stop learning and moving forward. Sully was very calm and calculated in the way he spoke and I could imagine him that day calmly going through checklists and I want to have that same calm calculated approach to decisions on my farm. I was very impressed by him and was very glad to get the chance to hear him speak live.

  I watched the Myth Buster Adam Savage on day 2 and it was pretty wild with all the explosions he's done through the years! Also on day 2 was the Oh Canada panel and I heard some of the issues facing these larger Canadian farmers from Saskatchewan. We have some common concerns across all sizes of farms and some specific to the size or region of the operation. Some of the main concerns put forward by the panel went back to cost of production and this affects us all. When do our input costs become unsustainable? This is one of my biggest concerns and is something I’m constantly looking for solutions moving forward. Land prices were discussed but for a different reason then in Alberta. These larger farms have limited buyers if they ever look to sell land. In my area of Alberta the land prices are being driven higher and higher all the time by a very competitive sellers market. This makes it hard for small farmers to expand and young farmers to get to a sustainable size if their parents had a smaller farm to start with. All in all a very interesting discussion.

  I went to a couple other sessions but one of my favorites on day 2 was the social media panel. I knew the people on the panel from Twitter and it was fun to hear them talk about their stories of starting out and finding their way on the public platforms of Social Media. It amazes me the time they put into it. I spend a bit of time putting my own content out on Twitter but some of them spend upwards of 30 hours a week! The downside of putting yourself out there is always evident and their stories of being “trolled” were similar to many of us. I always choose to ignore negative comments as these are usually people who are looking for a reaction or a fight. Monetization of their popularity on social media was brought up. This is a touchy subject and if done properly isn't a big deal. Many of us want AgTwitter to stay real and unbiased and anytime sponsorship's happen things can get fake or forced.

   Jerod Mcdaniel was on the panel and I always enjoy his podcast interviews that sometimes last 2 hours but are very raw and uncut and listening in the combine or tractor really make the time fly by and it was cool to meet him. Jenny Schweigert is as nice in person as she is on Twitter and walking up to her and getting a big smile and hello meant a lot. These meetings don’t always happen this way and I had a few times in Omaha where I walked up and introduced myself to people I've talked to on twitter and got a glossy look in return then the awkward silence and then slowly slinking away :) Thankfully it doesn’t happen that often and most are very happy to visit and talk farming or twitter.
Brian Scott is the only guy in Ag I know who has a blue check mark by his name and it was nice to shake his hand and have a great discussion with him after. He is a really good guy and we talked farming like old neighbors. The crowd was full of fellow twitter farmers and looking around seeing all of them I couldn’t help but get the feeling of community. I’m thankful for all those people who came up and said Hi if they recognized me from Twitter during the show. It was fun to visit with the many people I've met through twitter like Johnnie Roughrider, Stephanie Stray cow, Taylor Truckey, Charles Baron, Rob Stone, Kristine Langlois, Marcel van Staveren and many others..

  Touring around Omaha the last day with my wife Paula was fun and we got to see some of the local architecture and some of the city. I love to go to these conferences and it feels like I check off another milestone in my life every time I get these opportunities. I really have to Thank FBN for letting my wife and I attend Farmer to Farmer 18 in Omaha it was a great experience. 

I know the takeaways from the 3 days will serve me well in the future on the farm and in all parts of my life.

Farm Stress: Everyday is not a good day but there is good in every day

   I am not a professional. I'm just a farmer from central Alberta who writes about what is going on in his life. When harvest was delayed the middle of September it was tough to stay positive. Memories of previous years flood back and the doubt starts to creep in. Farm stress is real and can affect your mental health so if you are finding it too much seek help. There is no shame in it and it's the bravest thing you can do. 

Things don't always go the way you expect in life. On the farm even more so. So much is always going on and so many literal and metaphoric moving parts. Machinery, markets, input costs and other variables like the weather and dealing with people like suppliers, grain companies or even other farmers can add to the stress on the farm.

Machinery breaking down is always stressful for me. It usually happens when you need them the most. It doesn't break down when it's sitting in the yard all cleaned up when you have all sorts of free time to fix. It will happen in the middle of seeding or harvest when you are truly testing the capabilities of the machine. We can do regular maintenance and go through a piece of equipment with a fine tooth comb but the fact is breakdowns happen and we have no control over it! It seems to happen in multiples and compounds the stress. I have times when it gets to me. You try your best and things still don't work out. During harvest one breakdown after another can start to build and every time your cell phone rings or the combine stops out in the field you get a pit in your stomach. Or during seeding when a big rain is in the forecast and you want to get done the field and you watch the clouds building overhead and feel so helpless. Add this on top of regular everyday stress and things can explode. 

"Sometimes the wheels just fall off and we can't do anything about it!"

Weather is a huge contributor to stress on the farm. Farmers have always been at the mercy of mother nature and we have absolutely no control over how much it rains and at what time of the year. During the growing season we require about 6-8" of rain to grow a crop in my area. This needs to be timely as well, otherwise it doesn't help as much. Too much early on and then a long dry spell like in 2002 will be catastrophic for our yields and all your hard work can be for nothing. Too hot during flowering of the crop can be bad as well and all the rain in the world can't reverse the damage. All crops flower even wheat and barley it's just they aren't as visual as something like the yellow flowers of canola. During this period the plant can set a huge portion of it's yield and the longer the flowering the larger the crop normally. Late season rain can be very bad as well. In 2016 towards the end of September the rain started, then it turned to snow and more sporadic rain throughout October and pretty soon we lost a whole month to 5 weeks of a crucial part of harvest. It looked very bleak and many thought we were done till spring but luckily we had a break in early November and many were able to get the harvest completed. Hail storms, floods, droughts and other weather events like wind can all cost us money. But once again we have no control over the weather!

  How do you deal with stress?

So how do I personally try to help myself to not get "stressed out"?

Balance:

  The importance of the farm can become all consuming. It is our livelihood and a lot hinges on its success. So we put a huge amount of weight on how things are going with our work. That's OK if managed properly because to succeed you need to be invested. But what about the other things in your life? Take some of that focus away from the farm and put it towards something else. I take solace in things like family and friendships. Take some time to do something else you love to do, TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF! I golf or even like to take time to write down my thoughts once in a while :) Find your escape and enjoy it.

Humor:

  When things are getting to you it's hard to look at the humor in it. But sometimes just take a step back and try. It doesn't work for everything but a good laugh for me goes a long ways. I'm of course talking minor stuff but the fact is at the time they may seem quite major until you step back and re-evaluate!

 So take a moment today to appreciate those around you and the good things in your life. Have a good laugh. Take the focus away from any challenges and be thankful for what you have!

I hope you could take something away from this. At the least I hope you laughed. I joke about farm stress because it's the way I get through it but it is real and we face it daily. I've made many friends across Canada and throughout the world thanks to Social Media who are involved in agriculture. I see the challenges they all face and just want them to know that they are not alone in this.

If you find yourself not able to handle it there is no shame in asking for help and thanks to many caring people the resources are out there. These are just my local ones but many areas across the world have resources for farmers and more are being added daily thanks to a growing awareness.

Alberta Mental health help line

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/general/progserv.nsf/all/pgmsrv72

Some friends of mine started a foundation that recognizes the stresses we face in Agriculture. Here is their website and access to some great resources.

Do more Ag foundation

https://www.domore.ag/

Thanks for reading and keep laughing!

2018 Another interesting year to be a farmer

 It’s been an interesting year on the farm. Not only are we dealing with a lack of rainfall for our crops but also lower commodity prices. These lower prices for our crops can be blamed at least partly on international trade issues. NAFTA and India have hurt Canola, Soybean and Yellow Pea prices on my farm. Wheat and Barley are bright spots so far but yields aren’t good enough to make up for losses in the other crops. Stack on top of this the price of pre bought fertilizer rising upwards of $100/tonne over last years price on my blend and it it’s a double whammy. Another issue is trying to take off the 2018 crop. We were off to a good start but are being rained or snowed on quite regularly lately so it is at a complete stand still. This is nothing new and the weather will turn better and everyone will hopefully get their crop off.

  We have been very fortunate the last few years with prices and yields above average. This helps to lessen the blow as having a little cushion makes it easier to ride this out but it isn’t sustainable. Farming is never easy and not for the faint of heart. The fact of the matter is we have no control over the majority of the things that are negatively affecting us right now. But we control what we can and just have to let the other things ride themselves out.

  

Things we have no control over
  -Weather- Mother Nature

  -Trade- Politicians

  - Commodity Prices- World leaders(Politicians) Supplies

  - Input costs- Large companies and once again politicians can affect this

Things we can control or at least have an affect on

  -Pre sell commodities- Sell at higher prices before the crop is off(some risk)

  -Pre buy inputs- Buy fertilizer and seed and chem now for next year. Usually means paying                   interest and having to store fertilizer on your farm.

  -Conserve moisture in a dry year by direct seeding. Not all farmers are dry in their area, some are          flooded out as well but in my area we need to conserve soil moisture. 

 The other events of the last few weeks and months have been the Glyphosate ruling in California. This ruling will more than likely never get paid out in full but what it does do is bring bad press to an already troubled chemical. Add on top of this the finding of low levels of glyphosate in certain foods and the war on this chemical has been ramped up immensely. We will more than likely lose glyphosate as a pre harvest application in the near future but the real shame will be if we lose it completely. Through its use we have been able to control weed pressure without the use of tillage. Pre seed applications are helping to control early weed pressure that can result in huge yield losses. Although we can farm without glyphosate dramatic changes will occur on most farms as they adapt.
  The other big one this year that hasn't taken affect yet is the proposed Neonic ban in Canada.This is a seed treatment that works as a selective insecticide. So it is placed on the seed before hand in the case of canola in western Canada, shipped in bags and then we put the seed in the ground. It helps control flea beetle damage early in the plants life. Its effects last approximately 15 days which help the plant get past the very weak cotyledon stage. Without Neonic seed treatment we will be forced to use a non selective insecticide to do the same job which will result in beneficial insects being killed. This ruling can only lead to more regulation in other areas and I fear this is only the beginning.
  The war on GMO's also continues. Genetic engineering of Canola,Corn and Soybeans has accounted for a huge increase in yields and has also brought us better disease resistance resulting in less applications of fungicides. The benefits of this to farmers and to the quality of what we produce is immeasurable but a growing amount of people see it as another evil. The lack of understanding of what is involved in Genetically modified organisms has led people to think it's about chemicals or introducing horrible things into the seed. When it comes to food evolving, people are slow to allow it. Agriculture has been put into the middle of this ongoing debate of what is safe and what isn't. I find myself having to defend technology as well as the companies who developed them. In a world of catch phrases Non-GMO has become a huge one in food marketing and we will end up being the losers in this deal.

  Definitely lots of challenges in Agriculture right now and I'm sure many more to come. We will continue to fight to have our voices heard and those of science. There are very few of us but we do have allies in the general public who believe in what we are doing. We use the avenues we have like Social Media and engaging with people in grocery stores or through the mainstream media. All of this helps but whether or not it will be enough remains to be seen. The associations that represent farmers are also fighting the good fight on our behalf and I'm thankful for them.
  The future is up in the air and as far as commodity prices and yields go this is only one year of many. In sport no team has a winning season every year. You work hard and do your best but sometimes it just doesn't work out and you learn from it and move on. Farmers have been dealing with the ups and downs for many generations and that will never change. We will adapt no matter what you give us or take away from us because at the end of the day everyone needs to eat!

 


  

  

From my field to the bottle #KowalchukFarmsBarley

The journey doesn't start the day you pour your beer into a glass.

  Almost 2 years prior to harvesting barley the planning begins. Selecting the proper field and making sure all the nutrients are in the soil that are required for the barley seed to develop. Also making sure there aren't an over abundance of some which can cause problems also. Variety selection is important because Maltsters and brewers are very selective as to what works for them. Field selection comes down to soil type, topography and previous crops and weed control. A clean field free of weeds not only helps with yield but also even maturity and the best use of available limiting factors.

  
  These limiting factors are available "food" for the barley like fertilizer both naturally occurring and applied. Moisture is a big one and usually translates directly into yield. Too much moisture causes losses through drowning out in the low spots as well as a greater occurrence of disease. Too little moisture and it's obvious what will happen with hill tops dying off and lower quality seed where there are some.

  Once everything is decided, seed is cleaned and in the bin and all other inputs are in storage you patiently wait till spring. I like to seed my barley as soon as the ground warms up. The earlier seeded barley does quite well missing most of the August heat we normally get here in Central Alberta. Having the heads and seed close to fully developed going into the middle of August helps with plumpness of the seed as well as yield. I seed about 1.5 inches maximum depth with barley and even shallower if the moisture is right there. This allows the seed to pop out of the ground quicker.

  So the seeds in the ground and then you watch it grow. Scouting the field during the growing season is important. I check all fields quite regularly looking for good weed control and checking for the presence of disease and pests. Plant health translates to seed health so I do this in all my crops as do most farmers. If all goes well I let the barley plant do its thing and I just sit back and watch till harvest.

  Harvest timing is crucial. Plant maturity can come on quickly and recognizing when to harvest can be tricky some years. Green plants can delay an otherwise dry crop from being harvested so this is where field selection can make a difference. Low areas can cause headaches but some years can be your best yield so you need to consider this in harvest timing. Also green seeds can cause your barley to be rejected for malt and then it will need to be sold as feed at a lower price. Barley has to be around 13.5% seed moisture to be accepted so you test the field a little at a time till you get to that point. Some farmers use driers to bring it down to that % but this can be an added expense so I haven't purchased one yet. I straight cut or swath my barley and it depends on the year. If there is even maturity and good straw maturity I will straight cut which is using a cutter on the front of the combine. In other years I use a swather to cut and allow it to sit till its dry and then use a pick up on the front of combine. Either way works great most years.

  The settings on the combine are important. Heavy losses can occur in yield and quality and do happen if you don't take the time to check and double check. I leave a bit of the beard on the seed so as not to damage the germ end. I also check losses behind the combine because it's a huge amount of straw and chaff going through and it's easy to overload the cleaning capacity of the machine. The harvested seed is placed in a truck and hauled to an aeration bin at the farm. I run air through it immediately to help to remove any moisture in the sweat period and also to cool the seed for long term storage. Usually below 15 Celsius is a good storage temperature. Good samples are taken continuously while the seed was unloaded into the bin. These are what is sent in to the malt company and they make their decisions based on these representative samples so I make sure to do a good accurate job of taking these.

  The samples are sent in right away to give them time to look at them and once they run them through they get back to me with the news either good or bad. They look at dryness (13.5% or lower) protein, germ, chit(partial germinating and dying off in the head or storage) plumpness of the seed, bushel weight, and overall quality of the seed. Then if all things are good you get the ok and then you wait till they are ready to malt your barley. When they are ready for it you truck it in and if all specifications are still met your golden!

  From there breweries from across the world can then access my barley and make the tasty beer we all enjoy. Craft breweries use a large amount of malt barley and are a growing business here in Alberta and I'm thankful for their success and try to support them regularly :)

  Barley has been an important part of our farm for about 60 years so this year I plan on sharing the journey barley takes from cleaning the seed at my farm to the bottle, can or glass in bars across the world. Stay tuned on twitter at my profile @kowalchukfarms and the hashtag #KowalchukFarmsBarley to see what I do on the farm to help out in the creation of the best beers in the world with in my opinion the best barley in the world grown with care on our farms right here in Central Alberta.😉

 


Update: So 2018 saw lower than normal rainfall in my area. This accounted for lower barley yields but the quality was actually quite good. With 11.7 protein and good germ and good quality my whole production was accepted as malt. So even though there was less production I'm very happy with the quality that was there. I did post updates on twitter throughout the year under the hash tag #KowalchukFarmsBarley as I went through all the steps to grow and manage a malt barley crop. The Alberta craft beer we are consuming now very well could have some of my 2017 production in it and as long as the quality remains good in storage next year we could be drinking a beer containing Kowalchuk Farms barley from this years crop in 2019!

Merry Ag twitter Christmas from Kowalchuk Farms

Twas the night before Christmas and all through my timeline

Not a message was happening............Not even one of mine

The farmers were recording, their podcasts with care

In the hopes that everyone, would be grateful, like, and share


When suddenly on my phone, there arose such a clatter

I shut off my ringer till I knew what was the matter

Away to my notifications I tapped like a flash

Opening up my conversations, I thought my screen would crash


I checked those I followed none of them had Tweeted

Not Sharkey not Faber, I  almost had to be seated

Then what to my wandering eyes should appear

But a bunch of bright hearts, I maybe had nothing to fear


"By High heels! by, Oldman Gord! now Daily cowman and Wheat Geer!

Now SenatrStanford, now Wheatlander, now Dirt Sweat n tears!

They all liked my post but I hadn't even tweeted?

It wasn't something I said? I felt like I cheated!


I became quite worried, As it was almost Christmas day!

So I sprang to my Computer, But had nothing new to say

We had covered many topics, from Bitcoin to Trump

If I mentioned them again, I would be quite a chump


Then I realized it wasn't me who had caused all the stir

It was someone else's tweet, and now I knew for sure

It was a jolly old elf, who had re-tweeted my Pic

It was Santa himself, who found my Massey...... quite Sick!


______________________________________________


It's not all about followers, or the re-tweets and Likes

It's about telling our stories, and guys like Rob Saiks

We don't do it for money or some type of Fame

We do it to fight lies, and "food fear accounts" that are Lame!



Our Crops and our Livestock, is why we're all here

They make people happy with thick steaks and great Beer

It's not just the farmers, we come as a set

From the scientist, the trucker and Cody the vet

So throughout these months, You all brought me such Cheer

So Merry Christmas to all ......and a Joyous New Year!