Freelance agricultural journalist, hockey player, avid reader, beer & cheese enthusiast. Canadian living in Belgium.
Ghent, BE from Wpg/Guelph CA
Joined April 2011
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I'm honoured to have received first place in the technical feature category at the @CdnFarmWriters annual awards ceremony this year.
The return of soil erosion in southern Alberta has raised much alarm in recent years. The article takes a deeper look at the growing problem and offers short- and long-term solutions to mitigate soil loss.
Published in @GrainsWest magazine: grainswest.com/2022/11/a-dir…
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Will any of my fellow Canadians be at #Agritechnica2025? I'd love to hear your impressions.
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With energy costs climbing, some Canadian poultry farmers have turned to solar air heating. Here's how one system is cutting bills, improving air quality and supporting bird health — even at -30°C.
canadianpoultrymag.com/solar…
#CdnAg #PoultryFarming #SolarEnergy #SustainableAg
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In Umbria for the annual @ENAJ_tweets AGM, you know, just tasting wines and snacking on beautiful cheeses. #BestJobEver
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This farm in southern Spain had the best avocados I've ever tasted. When they're stocked up again, I might just order a box direct from #CrowdFarming. crowdfarming.com/en/farmer/l…
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My latest article for @canadianpoultry takes a look at how genetic editing could be used as a tool in the fight against avian influenza. The UK researchers plan to continue their work. canadianpoultrymag.com/path-…
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I went to the @NewberryLibrary in Chicago to find a book written by a local author or one that would help me get a feel for #Chicago as a city. I got both in Last Summer on State Street by @ToyaWolves. What an incredible debut. Powerful, heartbreaking and unforgettable. Tonya’s story will haunt me for years to come.
Keep writing, Toya. Keep writing.
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Dear @PostNL. This is just piss poor service. Package delivered at 10:30, discovered at 16:00 on the ground outside. It's been raining all day. The magazine inside is ruined. Also, I have been home all day. Why not just ring the bell??
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Next on the reading list: Story by @BonnieMcKee.
I have no intention of becoming a screenwriter. But I have a feeling that many of the principles of screenwriting will apply to long-form #journalism.
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Finally finished reading Digging Deeper: A Cdn Reporter’s Research Guide by @thecribby @Fvjones
and @DeanJobb. Reading it each day before starting work has inspired me to dig deeper and do better.
Thanks for the great read!
After months of straight work, I took the day to myself today. And while I know it’s okay, every 10 minutes I had to convince myself not to go to the office.
It IS okay to take a day off, but it’s hard when you’re a #freelancer.
Note to self for 2024: Find work-life balance
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Every time it snows in Belgium - which, granted, isn't very often - everything shuts down. Schools are closed, trains are cancelled, people work from home. I get it, safety first.
Meanwhile in Canada, life just goes on.
youtube.com/watch?v=Yja2VmZO…
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This is what several years of tracking the #WordOfTheDay looks like. I add a new word nearly every day, and study the contents every so often to see how many I’ve retained. This #WordNerd has got some catching up to do.
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Ch. 8 of Digging Deeper: A Cdn Reporter’s Research Guide by @thecribby @Fvjones and @DeanJobb focuses on the art of the interview. I think I have pretty strong interview skills, but there were two clear takeaways. 1) Listen better, and 2) prepare more. #journalism
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Ch. 7 of Digging Deeper: A Cdn Reporter’s Research Guide by @thecribby @Fvjones and @DeanJobb is a good one. Thought I knew how to search the web efficiently. I did not. Definitely learned a few new tricks today. Next chapter: The art of the interview. #journalism
The problem with having an older version of #DiggingDeeper is that most of the web links included are out of date. Nevertheless, I'm creating a nice little dashboard in @BookmarkNinja to keep the most useful sites in one handy location. #Journalism
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Travelling home from #Agritechnica2023 has turned into another #DeutscheBahn disaster. Looks like I might have to stay the night in Cologne again. Cancelled trains, late trains, missed connections, no seats. Unreal.
But there’s beer…
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Another clever solution... These slip-over paddle tines from @duckfootparts are quick and easy to install, and although they don't look like much, apparently they really help boost #harvest efficiency. #Agritechnica2023 #Agritechnica
Had a nice chat with Courtney and Marcel at @BushelPlus about their SmartPan System and MAD concaves. Simple solutions can yield better results. That's the aim, anyway. #Agritechnica2023 #Agritechnica
Apparently this beast is used to push corn silage at biogas plants. #Maisraupe certainly caught a few eyes at #Agritechnica2023.
(Full disclosure: I had to ask @NDubuc what the heck it was being used for). #Agritechnica
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