We don’t plan to fail; we fail to plan. Allan Savory said this many times in my holistic management training and I think it bears repeating, particularly at this time of year. One strategic planning recommendation is to create an external, state-of-the-industry report, as well as an internal business update. To plan for the future, […] Read more
VIDEO: Strategic planning in the new year
Depth of Field with Kelly Sidoryk
Leadership in non-profits or community-based organizations
Depth of Field with Kelly Sidoryk
Public speaking, record books or leading a meeting — which did you dread most as a 4-H member? Beyond our own family businesses or careers, many of us participate in other groups that are part of building a community. The reasons for belonging are varied. But over the years I have seen certain factors that […] Read more
VIDEO: Looking at change and authenticity on the ranch
Depth of Field with Kelly Sidoryk
David Irvine has long been a mentor of mine and a leader in the field of organizational development. He began his career in family systems therapy and expanded from there. He now describes himself as the leadership navigator. Irvine hosts a monthly webinar to support people’s growth. One of the recent ones was titled “Embracing […] Read more
The big move: Relocating the ranch
The Stewart family undertook a modern cattle drive, moving their operation from B.C. to Saskatchewan
Ranching is ranching, wherever you are. Or is it? Erika and Cyle Stewart would likely say it is, and it is not. Relocating a house and family to another province is no small task. Make it an entire ranch and cow herd and you are at a whole other level. In 2017, the Stewarts had […] Read more
VIDEO: Nothing new here with transition planning, or is there?
Depth of Field with Kelly Sidoryk
When visiting with a fellow producer at a recent industry conference, he said, “Succession, succession, succession. Every time I open a magazine or article, that is what it is all about.” So why are we continuing to talk (or write) about it? Because many of us are facing it, and struggling. It is hard. The […] Read more
VIDEO: Giving and receiving feedback on the ranch
Depth of Field with Kelly Sidoryk
If we are trying to follow a path of continuous improvement, be it for ourselves or our teams, there will be times when feedback is necessary, and it is not always going to be rosy. For those regularly following along, a few months ago I wrote about the former FBI hostage negotiator, Chris Voss, and […] Read more
Saskatchewan ranchers talk ranch transition
Scott and Alicia Adamson found holistic management provided a framework for the succession process
Scott and Alicia Adamson found holistic management provided a framework for the succession process
As Scott and Alicia Adamson share their story of ranch succession in northwestern Saskatchewan, the tale begins three generations previously when Scott’s great-grandfather was working on a ranch nearby in the Meadow Lake area in the mid-1940s. Part of Fred Adamson’s pay was in cattle and when his herd size matched that of his employer, […] Read more
VIDEO: A new approach to revitalizing rural communities
Depth of Field with Kelly Sidoryk
The decline of rural communities is nothing new to those who live there. For those of us in agriculture, these communities are a hub and vitally important. Many communities are finding new and creative ways to flourish. Becky McCray is supporting this with her development of the “Idea Friendly Town” concept. Many of her suggestions […] Read more
Production and profitability on cow-calf operations
Shifting focus from production per cow to production per acre adds up to a more profitable cow-calf operation, says Kit Pharo
Shifting focus from production per cow to production per acre adds up to a more profitable cow-calf operation, says Kit Pharo
Which is more important, increasing profits or production? This is the question rancher and seedstock producer Kit Pharo posed at a recent holistic management gathering in Valleyview, Alta. Pharo has strong opinions, speaks his mind and says he doesn’t care what other people think. “I may not always be right, but I am never in […] Read more
VIDEO: Understanding change during farm and ranch transitions
Depth of Field with Kelly Sidoryk
Change and how we deal with it seems to be a common theme for me in this column. My curiosity has led me to another change model, known as the transtheoretical model. This model was developed in 1977 by James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente, after reviewing several different theories. It’s usually applied to healthy behavioural […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
