Better Farming – September 2016

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40 Farm News First > Better Farming September 2016
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I will move forward in a positive
attitude.”
What’s your management philosophy or
guiding management principle?
I like to challenge everybody who is
on the farm to make his or her own
decisions. So if they come to me and
say, what do you want me to do, I say,
“well this is what we have to do, how
do you think we can do that? Tell me
what you think is the best way and
then we move forward.”
Are you involved in any committees, boards
associations, or volunteer efforts?
Emo Agricultural Research Station
Committee chairperson.
What is your favourite recreational activity?
Hiking in the mountains.
What was the last book you read?
A Memoir of Vietnam and the Penta-
gon Papers by Daniel Ellsberg.
What does your family think of farming?
When we moved here to Canada from
Germany, Heidi had to make a big
step because of leaving her relations
behind and so on. For me, it was
much easier. She’s not a farm girl but
she just went with it. My daughter,
Susanne, was very much involved
always until she went to university.
Timo, he was always out on the
machines and (with) the cattle and so
on since he could walk. So they were
very much always very much involved.
What’s your most important goal?
The farm has to be in better shape
when Heidi and I leave it than when
we got it. That means the soil, the
visual appearance, the productivity
– everything has to be in better shape
for the next generation.
How do you define success?
When you feel that you reached your
goal. When the farm is at the place
where I am saying goodbye, I hope I
can look back and say, OK, we did
what we could, and it was good.
Is your farm vehicle messy or neat?
My jeep is messy. Timo, he just hates
it. He vacuums his.
What’s on top of your desk?
Cell phone, two note pads, computer,
my glasses and three bills that I had
to go through and verify the weights
in them.
What was the last piece of equipment you
bought for your farm?
Air drill.
What’s the best time of day?
Early morning. Sitting there and
having a coffee or tea and thinking
about what you’re going to do in this
day, it’s just a nice, exciting time.
What was your most memorable crop year?
There are two. One was 2011. It was
nice and dry and we got all our crops
seeded early and we got them off
early and the hay was just good.
The other year was 1991. It was so
wet and miserable and cold. We had
just bought a new combine, so we
bought some tracks for it and
combined wheat and canola. There
were ducks swimming in the fields. BF
This interview has been edited
and condensed.
“I like to challenge
everybody who is on the
farm to make his or her
own decisions. So if
they come to me and
say, what do you want
me to do, I say, “well
this is what we have to
do, how do you think we
can do that?”