Agronomy Geeks, Ep 17: Claire Coombs

Imagine setting out on your own, fresh out of university, down to your last few hundred bucks. Matt Gosling did. That was 18 growing seasons ago, and although the beginning was a challenge with change and uncertainty moving at an incredible rate, Gosling has built Premium Ag into a successful agronomic services company. From the... Read More

What does it take to be a soil champion? If you're Laura Van Eerd, professor at University of Guelph, Ridgetown campus, it means being curious about soil biology and crop production and constantly fascinated about what we have yet to learn about nutrient cycles, microbes, and more. Van Eerd considers herself lucky to be able... Read More

Ashley Knapton is the dairy strategic account manager with Corteva. Based in Eastern Ontario, Knapton spends her days working that bridge between the dairy farmer, the cow nutritionist, and what happens in the field. But this isn't really where she thought she'd end up. Knapton — also known as Kaptin Knapton on social media— had... Read More

How does a dairy farmer's kid end up advising Prince Edward Island potato farmers on how best to grow spuds? If you're Ryan Barrett, you get there by being curious, intelligent, adaptable, and an excellent communicator. Barrett now leads research and agronomy for the PEI Potato Board, and spends much of his time fostering cooperation... Read More

I have written the introduction for this Agronomy Geeks episode three or four times, never quite being able to capture the right sense of what I'm trying to say. In case you missed the news, agronomist and adventurer Gregory Sekuliç has left his nearly decade-long post with the Canola Council of Canada and headed south... Read More

Jenneth Johanson farms in an atypical growing region at Lac du Bonnet, Man., about 100 km northeast of Winnipeg. She farms on productive land where the eastern Prairie meets the Canadian Shield, some of which is classified as organic soil: peat. Farming on peat has its challenges: it has low water holding capacity, it's high... Read More

There are several recurring themes among some of the most interesting people I cross paths with in agriculture. One of the most fun is that many of us never set out with a particular role or job in mind, but instead just rolled with the opportunities in front of us. The other is travel; not... Read More

Claire Coombs' first agronomy love might be soil, but teaching and extension work are likely a close second. Coombs is currently teaching at Algonquin College at Perth, Ont., in the Business Agriculture diploma program. Since March, it's been an adventure in adaptability, as programs shifted from in-person to online nearly overnight. That change alone would... Read More

Farms aren't as mobile as we'd like sometimes, and that can mean leaving your home base to pursue work and life somewhere else. Taking on a new challenge outside of where you grew up has benefits though; for example, expanding your social circle, or diversifying professional opportunities. For Michelle Baker, with Millstone Crop Services, based... Read More

Sometimes taking on a new role is the challenge you need to really dig in to the next stage of your career, but sometimes returning to an earlier role is a great way to inject excitement and joy, while allowing for mentorship and growth too. Paul Hermans has held several different positions with Pioneer (and... Read More