Over 100 years. 4 Professors. 1000's of Participants, Brands & Flavors! . Whether you like Rocky Road, Bubble Gum, Tiger Stripe or Vanilla, Ice Cream has played a role in making memories among kids and adults for hundreds of years. From the simple beginnings from making it at home to the advancements in refrigeration and distribution, the Ice Cream Technology Course is the longest running course at the University of Guelph and the only one of it's kind in Canada! Professor Doug Goff, the current professor, joins us to discuss the changes in the industry and what we have seen (and tasted) as consumers.

Growing Chefs offers a variety of food education projects to get kids, adults and communities more excited about the food they eat.  Providing avenues and tools to develop confidence, knowledge and enthusiasm around preparing and eating nutritious meals.  Andrew Fleet (Executive Director & Co-Founder) joins us to chat about how their food education programs are helping kids develop an understanding & want to cook in a fun way that promotes local, wholesome ingredients.

Sweet Potatoes, Apples, Tomatoes and Roses.  What do they all have in common?  At Vineland Research Centre (Niagara, ON), Travis Banks and his team are working to develop new varieties of plants for Canadian growers.  They are producing new varieties that are resistant to the diseases, pests and weather that is unique to Canadian farmers.  Listen as Mike and Travis discuss the techniques, products and importance of developing new varieties preferred by growers & consumers.

24 hours a Day. 7 Days a Week.  365 Days a Year.  The Farmer Wellness Initiative provides access to free counselling services and tailored mental health support for Ontario farmers and their families.  Bruce Butter, Zone 12 Director OFA & Chair of the Farmer Wellness Initiative Advisory Committee, joins us to discuss how the Farmer Wellness Initiative helps connect farmers with a support network rooted in rural Ontario.  Support professionals are trained and have backgrounds in the ag industry to help support the unique needs of the farming community.  . The mental health helpline for farmers can be reached at 1-866-267-6255. Additional resources can be found on the Farmer Wellness Initiative website and learn more by watching the “Let’s Break Silence Together” Video. . OFA has partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) - Ontario Division and Lifeworks to develop and launch the initiative. . Join us on your favourite podcast player/app or visit our website (www.the-back-40.castos.com) to listen to more episodes.  Sponsored by Trillium Mutual Insurance.

Do you know where your food comes from? That may seem like a simple question, but for many youth across Ontario it’s not a simple idea. . We spoke with the 2022 Teaching Excellence in Agriculture and Food Education Winner, Nigel Carlisle. Nigel is a Secondary Teacher at Cornwall Collegiate Vocational School is using ag-focused teaching methods to empower students to become food literate community members. His ultimate goal is to change how his students learn using hands-on experience over tests and books.

Run by youth for youth.  That’s the idea behind the Junior Farmers Association of Ontario.  Meghan McLeod, Director of Communications, joins us to discuss her experience with the JFAO and why rural youth should consider joining to develop strong community leaders.  Contrary to their name, all rural youth are free to join whether or not they are directly involved in farming operations. . To learn more about the Junior Farmers Association, join or find about local events visit their website here: https://www.jfao.on.ca/. . Join us on your favourite podcast player/app or visit our website here: http://the-back-40.castos.com/. Sponsored by Trillium Mutual Insurance.

6 Years. 15 Teams. Plans to future proof Canada’s food production.  Tamara Rebanks, Chair of the Homegrown Innovation Challenge Taskforce and Director at Weston Family Foundation, joins us to discuss the Homegrown Innovation Challenge and how it aims to bring new solutions to allow Canadian farmers to compete with out of season produce.  This massive undertaking being championed by the Weston Foundation aims to identify tools and technologies that enable Canadian farmers to sustainably and competitively grow berries out of season.  . To learn more about the Weston Family Foundation (https://westonfoundation.ca/) or the Homegrown Innovation Challenge (https://homegrownchallenge.ca/) please visit their websites. . Join us on your favourite podcast player/app or visit our website here: http://the-back-40.castos.com/. Sponsored by Trillium Mutual Insurance.

We spoke with Tatianna Schrieber (Social Research Director) and Arthur Davis (UNRP Director, Researcher & Portable Toilet Co-Ordinator) of the Rich Earth Institute about how their organization is researching ways to reclaim nurtients from waste, mainly urine.  Can this be a suitable addition or replacement to current options?  How can this benefit farmers?  We discuss the technical & social hurdles they have had to overcome, but also the uses and comparison to conventional fertilizers.  . If you’d like to learn more about the Rich Earth Institute and their research programs please visit their website here (https://richearthinstitute.org/). . To listen on the go with your favourite podcast app visit our website here: http://the-back-40.castos.com/. Sponsored by Trillium Mutual Insurance.

On this episode of The Back 40 we spoke with Mike Bachner, Vice President at Grasslands Recruitment Specialists, regarding the current state of career opportunities in the agricultural sector. Mike discussed looking for new hires away from the farm, how the talent gap is driving technological innovations and how they are helping employers fill those gaps with skill sets that matter the most. . Looking for a career change and interested in the Agricultural Industry?  Visit Grasslands Recruitment Specialists website for more information.

Are you ready to have a G'Day?  This week we spoke with Scott Schoenfeldt about his website that connects consumers with farmers and food called G'Day. Scott, and friend Sean Menzie, combined their passion for food and farming to create a simple, easy to use direct to consumer platform.  G'Day makes shopping local easy and gives consumers the freedom to connect directly with the faces behind their food! . Visit their website here (Shop G'Day) for more information.