Milestones involving the farming
and farm media business 
 
I will mark four milestones this year, 75 years old in October, 50 years in the media business in April, and most of them as an advocate for the farmer, and telling the story of farming one farmer and farm supplier at a time. One more not so much a milestone has helped broaden my work as a journalist, especially after slowing down following my quad-bypass heart surgery in 2007.  [This is not a swan song!] 
In 2008 I joined Twitter and soon after LinkedIn, and in 2018 Facebook in total, I have 27,000 followers and what an outlet that is for my posts, writings, and video and audio podcasts.  
Turning 75 and I give God all the glory for His grace to sustain for most of those 75 years isn’t such a big deal other than I’m still working, serving, having fun and loving it. Not withstanding some health issues, losing my soul, travel, and inspirational mate of 50 years, my good wife Judith in 2018.   
I continue to stay healthy, keeping in relatively good shape and keeping my mind active through work and service.  
The age milestone has another factor tied to it: keep working with a positive attitude and reaching out to others as much as possible. I have never seen people’s engagement, but able to make contact and turn on a recorder for another exciting interview. Interviewing and engaging people is the lifeblood of my articles, stories, columns, podcasts and social media posts.  
I often get asked why I only interview the large farmers; well, many of those so-called large farmers today I interviewed when they were either starting out or on the way to becoming more prominent farmers.  
I remember interview one local farmer Ray and at the end of the visit, I asked him the question I didn’t expect an answer to and asked how many acres; he said, “Harry,” and was quiet. “If you want to put something in, just say a little less than Mel.” A great answer.  
The third milestone that of helping start the AgriPost farm publication 20 years ago. Wow, I remember sitting down with my brother-in-law Henry C. Dyck and now the owner and publisher Dan Guetre at a convention in Winnipeg. And the rest they say is history. I’m proud of how Dan has carried on putting a monthly publication month after month. And how farmers read and advertisers post their company ads and so forth. Of the 50 years total twenty I’ve spent writing for the AgriPost, I doubt whether I have missed an issue.  
The fourth milestone and the more I write, the more come to mind, but this too is a farm publication in Leduc, AB, owned and published by another great friend Laurie Brandly. Twenty-five years ago, I started writing for the PHC and had not missed an issue either.  
The farmers who read that publication and the AgriPost come to me well before the pandemic and shake my hand and sometimes hug me for the information provided in those two publications.  
Kind of an honourable mention, the Ontario Farmer – owned by Postmedia is one that I’m now thinking I’ve written for maybe 30 years, starting with the Western Canadian Dairy Farmer owned by Postmedia.  
When I look back at the 50 wonderful years, I thank the publishers, the people, the sponsors, and most importantly, the farmers who let me serve them for all these years. Things have changed so much in various technology, but the farmer’s will, the eternal optimist, keeps going. Wow-what a fantastic industry we serve. As my mentor, colleague and friend, the fabulous ‘Big O’ said to me in December, yes, I know Orion Samuelson, “Harry, ‘Serving agriculture, the basic industry,’ is such a privilege and honour,” and he retired after 50 years behind the same microphone on Dec 31.  
Had I not embraced technology early on and buying my first computer in 1982, I may not be still in it today. Thanks again, and God Bless! •