By Shaman Crowe

Editor’s note: Shaman Crowe operates Silver Prairie Stock & Poultry Farm near Stettler, Alberta, 170 kilometres southeast of Edmonton. The farm specializes in conservation breeding of pigs, sheep, cattle, llamas and fowl.

Good mentorship is hard to come by

It is never easy to learn things on your own but having a great mentor can make all the difference. However, not every mentor is the same, and not all mentorships are a match made in heaven. That is why it is so important to choose the right mentor for your needs.

A mentor means many things to different people, but a mentor should be an experienced and trusted advisor – someone who has a background in whatever the mentee is attempting to learn. In agriculture, having a mentor is often overlooked, but it is an integral part of a successful program.

Whether you are growing crops or raising livestock, each endeavour offers unique challenges. Challenges are much easier to overcome with the knowledge to do so. You could spend the afternoon frustrated, throwing your tools, or you could find yourself a mentor to help steer you toward a solution.

Understanding goals is the key to successful mentorship

Kunekunes are a pig that tend to serve several different purposes – existing as pets, for conservation breeding, exhibition or meat production. Depending on your goals, your approach to pig care may be different, as each purpose has its own means to an end. Generally speaking, best practices are likely similar no matter the goal, but the breeding match-ups and conformations expected will be vastly different.

Pet breeders will no doubt breed down for size, while conservation breeders tend to prefer a more traditional-looking pig, and production breeders tend to breed up in size, selecting for higher weights and faster growth rates. Kunekunes are quite capable of all these things. In fact, going by the recognized breed standard, there are plenty of differing but acceptable traits – nose length and overall size are just two examples, among many.

Just as achieving desired pig traits requires a calculated breeding approach, achieving desired outcomes for a mentee in any field requires a calculating mentor. It is necessary to look for likeminded people and cultivate those relationships. It is not always obvious to a prospective mentor that someone is looking for help – do not be shy to ask outright! Sometimes, a prospective mentor may fill the role simply by working with an understudy informally, not because an official arrangement is in place.

The challenge: not everyone makes a good mentor, and not everyone is a good mentee. A production breeder might not think to mention to a buyer that there is a change in the registry disallowing for the lack of wattles, because to them, this is not a deciding factor in their production program. Someone with a more traditional viewpoint might disagree. Neither of them is necessarily wrong – they just have different perspectives based on their own needs. If a mentor and mentee are on two different pages, it does not matter what kind of advice is being offered. The results will almost certainly be unsatisfactory.

There is much made about the role of the mentor, but what about the role of the mentee? An honest mentee must be open to both praise and criticism. The role of a good mentor is not to simply validate what the mentee already knows – it is also to point out areas where the mentee may be making mistakes or try to help mitigate issues prior to their occurrence. Mentees lean on the experience and expertise of their mentors, and that dynamic should be respected. If a mentor offers advice that a mentee chooses not to follow, it would be unfair for the mentee to blame the mentor for an undesirable outcome.

Even when the goals of mentees and mentors are shared, if every piece of advice or information given on behalf of the mentor is ignored, this can create a toxic relationship with potential for breakdown. Mentors invest their own time and effort to help mentees, and the chances are, they are also helping others or have priorities of their own. It is also unfair for a mentee to become upset if a mentor is not immediately available to assist, such as a delayed response to a text message or email. If a mentee fails to appreciate a mentor’s efforts, you can rest assured that the mentor’s energy will soon be directed elsewhere. Patience is key.

Mentors also need to accept the incredible importance of this most valuable position – not just as a mentor, but as a general ward of his or her trade and a steward of best practices. If a mentor sees something that is troubling, there is an obligation to speak up. If a mentor notices that an animal is not fit for breeding, the mentor needs to be comfortable having a conversation with the mentee about it. It is the respectable thing to do, and from a mentorship perspective, it presents a great learning opportunity.

Mentees must be able to trust in their mentors’ guidance. To that end, mentors must maintain the respect of their mentees and their own integrity by being transparent and open at all times. Authenticity counts. Mentors should not have higher expectations of mentees than they would for themselves. Be the kind of leader you could see yourself following, if the roles were reversed.

Great mentorships generate great results

An effective mentor will often put what is best for your program before their own wallet. They will put you in a position of assured confidence and set you up for success, independent of their inputs. A good mentor will look for gaps or areas of improvement in your program, communicate them to you, and advise you on how to move forward.

An ineffective mentor will look at gaps in your program and communicate them to others. They may be inclined to give you advice that would leave you dependent on their program for financial gain or discuss your shortcomings with potential buyers to the detriment of your business. This is why it is so important to find a mentor that suits not only your goals but your values as well.

Choosing a mentor should not be difficult, but it should take some of the guesswork out of a new pursuit. Anything that can make things easier on your farm should not be overlooked. Have the courage today to reach out and seek the advice of your peers!

By Kaylee Coverdale

Editor’s note: Kaylee Coverdale is the Events and Programs Coordinator for the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). She can be contacted at kaylee.coverdale@ofa.on.ca.

A silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic is that families are spending more time at home and in the kitchen discussing the origins of food, how it is produced, food security and favourite recipes. Food has always been a key ingredient in bringing people together, and during these challenging times when so many of us are apart, food continues to keep us connected.

Although food brings us to the table, there is still an increasing knowledge gap of where it comes from, how it is grown, who grows it and how to source it. Many people are now generations removed from the family farm, and food literacy rates remain low among much of the general population.

Increasing knowledge and understanding of food literacy has been a key priority of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) for several years. Food literacy is an awareness of how to make choices that help consumers develop good food habits for a lifetime of health. It is in the best, long-term interests of the agri-food sector to work together to help consumers develop a greater awareness and appreciation of food and how dietary choices can impact themselves and their families.

Food literacy is key for making healthy choices

Understanding where food comes from and knowing how to make healthy choices helps young people especially establish good eating habits. Becoming more food literate encourages consumers to choose products that support local agricultural communities, helping grow the economy in the process.

In 2017, to address the scope of local food knowledge, understanding and awareness, OFA, with support from the Government of Ontario, in partnership with the Greenbelt Fund, developed the ‘Food Literacy Attitude and Awareness Research Project.’

The Food Literacy Attitude and Awareness Research Project was the first step in establishing a baseline level of food literacy knowledge and understanding among Ontario consumers. The project’s advisory committee included the Nutrition Resource Centre – Ontario Public Health Association, Ontario Home Economics Association, AgScape, and Farm and Food Care Ontario.

The project surveyed three distinct groups of Ontario consumers: parents with children at home, adolescents aged 13- to 17-years-old, and adults aged 18- to 26-years-old who are living on their own. The survey measured the current level of food literacy among the three groups to develop baseline data and gain insights to guide future programs, resources and information. Two in-person focus groups were held to gather qualitative data on food literacy that was used to develop and launch an online survey, which garnered more than 1,000 responses. The survey collected quantitative data on local food, meal planning, purchasing, preparation and consumption in the home, and sources of information used by consumers.

The results of the project highlighted that only 28 per cent of teenagers know how to plan and prepare a quick, healthy meal using the food that is readily available to them in their household. The study also found that millennials seek health and nutrition information from a wide variety of sources, with more than 50 per cent of them relying on YouTube as a source for learning new food information and cooking skills.

Bridging the food literacy gap

Participating in meal preparation and observing it in the home is the most common way to learn kitchen and cooking skills, making it increasingly important for teenagers to get involved in the kitchen. Due to the significance of this type of learning, it is essential parents are comfortable with cooking skills and have an adequate knowledge of health and nutrition.

OFA is addressing the challenge through the ‘Six by Sixteen’ food literacy initiative. Six by Sixteen was launched to raise the profile of buying fresh, safe and affordable local food. The collaborative program, with more than 20 provincial and national industry partners, aims to teach young people how to plan and prepare six nutritious and locally sourced meals by the time they are 16-years-old. Six by Sixteen’s website hosts a dietitian-developed recipe guide, which is freely downloadable, featuring eight nutritious and locally sourced recipes.

The website – SixbySixteen.me – was developed as an online gateway to an extensive library of Canadian resources, including how-to cooking videos, recipes and where to source local Ontario-grown products. The online hub was created for parents, health professionals and young teens to leverage the program.

Additionally, OFA has partnered with education and awareness groups to bring Six by Sixteen and food literacy to local communities. In collaboration with 4-H Ontario, OFA’s food literacy initiative has been adapted for 4-H participants to learn about knife safety, proper handwashing, safe food handling and meal preparation. Six by Sixteen is also promoted through by OFA at consumer-facing events, such as Farm & Food Care Ontario’s Breakfast on the Farm and the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

COVID-19 drives digital education push

With the cancellation of in-person events, and with teens spending more time at home with limited access to recreational activities, OFA has taken the opportunity to develop its digital platforms.

With the help of Growing Chefs Ontario, Six by Sixteen has launched a virtual food literacy challenge. Six by Sixteen’s recipe guide was recreated using a digital format with videoed cooking tutorials for families to watch from the safety and convenience of their own homes.

In keeping true to Six by Sixteen’s slogan, youth challengers need to prepare only six of the eight recipes to complete the challenge. Submissions can be made by emailing photos of completed meals to sixbysixteen@ofa.on.ca or sharing them to social media by tagging @SixbySixteen using the hashtag #virtualchallenge6x16. Videos can be accessed directly from the Six by Sixteen website or by visiting YouTube.com/OntarioFarms.

The pivot to virtual also strengthened existing partnerships with fellow industry stakeholders and led to the creation of several food literacy projects. To further promote the importance of local food, Six by Sixteen, under OFA’s ‘Always in Season’ project, and in partnership with South Central Ontario Region Economic Development Corporation (SCOR EDC), developed the ‘Agriculture is Always in Season’ colouring book. The book is directly available on the Six by Sixteen website and lets kids get creative while celebrating the abundance of healthy food produced by local farmers. The book also features a food literacy crossword, an Ontario agriculture infographic and a wordsearch.

As more families turn to their own kitchens and spend time together, the Six by Sixteen challenge is more attractive than ever. All families are encouraged to get their kids and teens involved by accepting the Six by Sixteen challenge. It is a fun, family-oriented tool for teaching and engagement, promoting Ontario’s agri-food sector in the process. Get started today at SixBySixteen.me.