Features
From the Editor: Enjoying the journey – and the planning

If you like to travel, you might understand what I mean when I say half the fun is in the anticipation. Making plans around what you’ll see and do in your destination, who you’ll visit and what new experiences the trip will bring . . . call me Type A, but the planner in me takes great joy in crossing all those things off my travel to-do list. And while sometimes that list includes taking in famous landmarks and experiencing the culture of the place I’m in, other times, the list is simple. 

As an Ontarian, I look forward to my biannual trips to the Prairies, for several reasons. For starters, several of my Top Crop Manager colleagues reside in Western Canada, and while Zoom is a great way for us to connect regularly, there’s nothing like catching up over dinner with the whole team. Secondly, the trips west usually give me the opportunity to meet and chat with readers, researchers and other industry folks and see them in action at conferences and field days. But perhaps my greatest pleasure comes from being able to take in the beauty of the surroundings I don’t get to see in my own beautiful home province. From endless skies and snow-capped mountains to fields upon fields of golden yellow canola and bright flax, it’s a privilege to visit Western Canada and I don’t take the opportunity for granted. 

If you’re in the market for that same experience, I hope you’ll consider attending our agronomy conference, the Top Crop Summit, which will return to Saskatoon (in-person!) on Feb. 22 and 23, 2023. Of course, you won’t see colourful canola and flax fields in February (and you’ll need a warm coat) but we’ll make up for that in the form of education and networking. As our team finalizes the agenda, we’re taking a careful look at the topics that should be included; watching agronomy and crop production trends, and consulting trusted industry experts on what they suspect producers will face in the coming year. Like planning a trip, half the fun is in the planning of the conference itself: putting together an agenda of topics and speakers that will provide valuable information to attendees. On our short list: soil health and fertility, malt barley agronomy, insect pests and more. 

We hope you’ll join us in Saskatoon and take advantage of the opportunities our in-person conference will bring. Besides the practical insights and advice you’ll glean from our esteemed speakers, the Top Crop Summit will provide you with the simple pleasures as well: a chance to reconnect with familiar faces, and take in the beauty of the region. And, if you need any help in planning your trip, I can recommend a great spot for dinner. 

Keep an eye on TopCropSummit.com for more details.