The Extensionists – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In the inaugural episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter talk with Alanna Koch. Alanna, a well-known and respected leader, does not wear jogging pants to the grocery store, and she values a good debate. Alanna and her husband, Gerry Hertz, farm near Edenwold, Sask. She has held various senior executive roles with the Saskatchewan government, including Deputy Minister to the Premier of Saskatchewan. Alanna talks about all of this and a whole lot more, all while sharing a few laughs with Jay and Toban.  

Thank you to our sponsor SaskOilSeeds.

Website: https://theextensionists.com 

X: https://x.com/thextensionists 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists 

The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and  farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists is designed to bridge the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to the great ideas and great thinkers from which it could benefit. 

The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall. It’s coordinated by Ashley Robinson and directed by Ryan Santschi.

Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter talk to researchers, inventors, and farmers with ideas and discoveries for the economic, environmental, and social enhancement of Canadian agriculture.

In this second episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter sit down with Marla Riekman, soil management specialist with Manitoba Agriculture. Marla is passionate about all things soil, but her journey to becoming a soil expert wasn’t always a straight line. From her nerdy high school days immersed in science and music, to her brief flirtation with entomology, Marla eventually found her calling in soil science—although, as she says, she never would have believed it back then.

Marla talks about the evolving conversation around soil health, what it’s like to work with farmers, and even shares a few laughs along the way (we spend some time talking about burritos). It’s an engaging conversation full of insight and humour that you won’t want to miss!

Thank you to our sponsor SaskOilSeeds!

Website: https://theextensionists.com

X: https://x.com/thextensionists

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists

The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.

The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and directed by Ryan Santschi.

In the third episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter chat with one of the “fathers of canola” Keith Downey. Back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, while working with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Saskatoon, Keith was instrumental in creating the crop we now know as canola – Canada’s most valuable crop.

In this episode, Keith talks about the science, policy and the business team effort to develop the canola industry ecosystem, and how oilseed processor J. Gordon Ross saved the day. Keith, Toban and Jay also discuss what it would take to bring another canola-like revolution to the Canadian agriculture landscape.

Website: https://theextensionists.com

X: https://x.com/thextensionists

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists

The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.

The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and directed by Ryan Santschi.

In the fourth episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter chat with former high school teacher and current University of Calgary associate professor Paul Galpern. Paul’s love of insects is contagious, and he thinks farmers should embrace the “messy” parts of the vocation. He makes a convincing, impassioned case.

In this episode, Paul talks about his involvement with the Prairie Precision Sustainability Network, which works with farmers to identify and share data related to the low-yielding areas in their fields. The Network enables farmers to strategically add “mess” to these unproductive regions to improve economic and ecological outcomes on their farms. 

The Prairie Precision Sustainability Network which Paul is part of: https://www.prairiepsn.ca/

Website: https://theextensionists.com

X: https://x.com/thextensionists

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists

The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.

The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and directed by Ryan Santschi.

In the fifth episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter chat with AAFC Lacombe research scientist Breanne Tidemann. Breanne is a self proclaimed weed nerd and creator of #WeedIDWednesday, an extension tool that uses social media to make weed education and identification more accessible. 

In this episode, Breanne shares all about what weeds she battles in Lacombe, including Kochia. Breanne also shares just how crafty weeds can be and how they ‘punk’ us by always finding a way to adapt through generations and overcome herbicides. So settle in and get ready to decorate your kochia Christmas tree while listening to this engaging conversation. 

Website: https://theextensionists.com

X: https://x.com/thextensionists

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists

The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.

The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and directed by Ryan Santschi.

In the sixth episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter chat with  University of Manitoba professor and soil scientist Afua Mante. Afua’s fervor and perspective on soil breathe new life into a topic foundational to a successful ag sector. 

In this episode, Afua likens soil structure to the frame of a house with many rooms. Like in a house, compact rooms are hard to work in, and in general, we protect our homes with roofs and deadbolts. For Afua, the same can be said of soils: compaction compromises productivity, and farmers benefit from protecting their soil houses and the many important rooms within. 

Listen and learn about how farmers can protect the integrity of their soil houses, as well as hear more about Afua’s passion for ag extension and the journey that brought her to Manitoba. Also, Afua campaigned for higher education standards as a youth and her telling of that story will make you smile. 

Website: https://theextensionists.com

X: https://x.com/thextensionists

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists

The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.

The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and directed by Ryan Santschi.

With the holiday season upon us, The Extensionists hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter decided to take a break from interviewing the great thinkers of agriculture and instead share a reimagined Christmas poem with you, our dear listeners. So curl up by the fireplace and listen to The Extensionists version of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. 

Happy holidays to your and yours from the team here at The Extensionists and tune in on Jan. 7 for our first episode of the New Year!

Website: https://theextensionists.com

X: https://x.com/thextensionists

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists

The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.

The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and directed by Ryan Santschi.

In the ninth episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter speak with Beef Cattle Research Council Extension and Communications Director Tracy Herbert. Stemming from a lifetime of exposure and genuine interest, Tracy’s knowledge of cattle and everything related is comprehensive and comfortable. She grew up on a mixed cattle and grain farm in Saskatchewan, and her parents were involved in the development of the Speckle Park cattle breed. 

During this episode Tracy talks about how the Canadian Beef Knowledge Technology Transfer Network was created and the research extension gap that it fills for producers. Tracy also shares how she found her way back to working in the ag industry after studying psychology (and communications) in university. 

Listen to this episode to learn more about Tracy and the work that she is doing to help the Canadian beef industry. 

Website: https://theextensionists.com

X: https://x.com/thextensionists

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists

The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.

The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and directed by Ryan Santschi.

In the eighth episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter chat with Jeff Schoenau, professor of soil fertility and the Saskatchewan Agriculture Ministry chair in soil nutrient management at the University of Saskatchewan. Jeff - otherwise known as Dr. Dirt - is passionate about soil health. In this wide-ranging interview, he divulges his inspiration for studying soil sciences and talks about what has kept him in the industry over the years.

What can you do about phosphorus and calcium in your soil? Dr. Dirt has the answers. Jeff will instill in you a love of nutrient management and you’ll also come away with tips on how to keep a crowd engaged when speaking. 

Listen to this episode to learn more about the world of soil science and what Jeff gets up to on his family farm near Central Butte, Sask. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget to share, rate, and leave a comment to help grow our audience.

Website: https://theextensionists.com

X: https://x.com/thextensionists

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists

The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.

The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and directed by Ryan Santschi.