So many things in the world have changed from the way that we knew them only a short few weeks ago. That being said, perhaps out of everyone, our lives as farmers have changed the least with the current coronavirus crisis. Our work remains the same, we still go out each day to care for our animals. We are still in the process of making plans for seeding, of getting our equipment ready to go as soon as this snow melts and the weather warms up enough to start planting and grazing.
Many of us had our last few conferences, AGMs and workshops of the winter/spring cancelled suddenly a couple of weeks ago when the government started the shutdown on mass gatherings. I have written many times on the importance of continued education for all of us on the farm and on the importance of connecting in with your local applied research or forage associations. When gatherings were cancelled, I was concerned that some of this continued education would be hampered. That even the networking among us producers could be negatively impacted. One of the incredible things that we have seen pick up speed as this virus has sent so many into hibernation is the ease of access to online learning. Webinars seem to be springing out of the woodwork. Many organizations and speakers are hosting conferences and talks through Facebook and YouTube Live and many other channels. The really great thing about getting to attend these things online is that we are not restricted to the speakers that can come to us. We get to go to them and learn from what is happening worldwide.
Within these pages you will find just a few of the many resources that are available. If you have any suggestions to add to these pages, feel free to e-mail us at groextension@telus.net.