Episodes

  • Episode 4: Paul Galpern
    Nov 12 2024

    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.

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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Episode 3: Keith Downey
    Oct 29 2024

    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.

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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • Episode 2: Marla Riekman
    Oct 15 2024

    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.

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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • Episode 1: Alanna Koch
    Oct 1 2024

    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.

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    56 mins
  • The Extensionists Trailer
    Sep 16 2024

    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.

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    2 mins