Welcome to Our Family Haycation

Farming has never been the easy road — and lately, we’ve been reminded just how many pieces have to line up to keep a small farm moving forward.

We wrote a new post about why we still choose this life anyway. It’s about muddy boots by the door, kids growing up with dirt under their nails, and the kind of work that’s hard but deeply worth it.

If you’ve ever wondered why families stay in agriculture despite the challenges, this one’s for you.

This post is the last in a short series sharing our family’s experience trying to build a home on working agricultural land.

We’re writing this the way we farm, steady, practical, and honest. Not as a rant, and not to point fingers. Simply to document what happens when long-used rural access meets modern development rules.

Over the next few days, we’ll share the human story, the history of the road, the geography of river valley farmland, the policy questions this situation raises, and the path we’ve chosen moving forward.

If you live, work, or care about rural land, we hope this adds some clarity to a conversation many families don’t realize they’re stepping into.

This post is the fourth in a short series sharing our family’s experience trying to build a home on working agricultural land.

We’re writing this the way we farm, steady, practical, and honest. Not as a rant, and not to point fingers. Simply to document what happens when long-used rural access meets modern development rules.

Over the next few days, we’ll share the human story, the history of the road, the geography of river valley farmland, the policy questions this situation raises, and the path we’ve chosen moving forward.

If you live, work, or care about rural land, we hope this adds some clarity to a conversation many families don’t realize they’re stepping into.

This post is the third in a short series sharing our family’s experience trying to build a home on working agricultural land.

We’re writing this the way we farm, steady, practical, and honest. Not as a rant, and not to point fingers. Simply to document what happens when long-used rural access meets modern development rules.

Over the next few days, we’ll share the human story, the history of the road, the geography of river valley farmland, the policy questions this situation raises, and the path we’ve chosen moving forward.

If you live, work, or care about rural land, we hope this adds some clarity to a conversation many families don’t realize they’re stepping into.

This post is the second in a short series sharing our family’s experience trying to build a home on working agricultural land.

We’re writing this the way we farm, steady, practical, and honest. Not as a rant, and not to point fingers. Simply to document what happens when long-used rural access meets modern development rules.

Over the next few days, we’ll share more of the human story, the history of the road, the geography of river valley farmland, the policy questions this situation raises, and the path we’ve chosen moving forward.

If you live, work, or care about rural land, we hope this adds some clarity to a conversation many families don’t realize they’re stepping into.

This post is the first in a short series sharing our family’s experience trying to build a home on working agricultural land.

We’re writing this the way we farm, steady, practical, and honest. Not as a rant, and not to point fingers. Simply to document what happens when long-used rural access meets modern development rules.

Over the next few days, we’ll share the human story, the history of the road, the geography of river valley farmland, the policy questions this situation raises, and the path we’ve chosen moving forward.

If you live, work, or care about rural land, we hope this adds some clarity to a conversation many families don’t realize they’re stepping into.

The word “agribusiness” has come up a lot in our recent conversations.

Technically, it includes farms like ours.
But the picture that word paints doesn’t always match the reality of small farms selling flowers, hay, and produce.

We wrote a short post about why definitions matter, especially when policy is involved.

New on the blog: What Do We Mean When We Say “Agribusiness”?

Three balers. One tractor. One crazy idea that stuck. The Triple Hitch means fewer dusty bales, more consistency, and enough hay to keep high-performance horses and easy keepers fed year-round.

Cheap hay gets expensive fast if it sends you to the vet. Dust-free, clean bales are non-negotiable at Toews & Bale.

Hay isn’t just hay, it’s a science and an art. 🌱 Orchard grass, Timothy, Alfalfa… each tells a different story in the bale. Here’s how we decide what to seed, and why it matters to your animals.

25 years. Over a million bales. And a whole lot of mistakes we only needed to make once. 🌾 From bad twine to empty fuel tanks, here are the top lessons that keep Toews & Bale running strong.

Not all hay is created equal. 🐴🐄 A simple feed test can mean the difference between weight gain, respiratory issues, or happy, healthy animals. Here’s why we test every single field we bale.

Farmers aren’t machines. (Even if we sometimes feel like one.) Taking care of our nervous systems is just as important as taking care of the fields.