Small Farm Canada readers shared their thoughts and ideas about our magazine in a recent Reader Survey with over 80 per cent extremely or very interested in poultry and even more interested in crops and gardening. Our readers like practical information, guidance and farm profiles. They want stories they can relate to and use to create, grow, raise, fix, reduce, re-use and build as well as have a laugh doing it.
Readers also say our writers like Dan Needles make them laugh and warms their hearts, admitting they often head to the back pages first. The wide variety of articles, stories and information is also wildly popular. SFC’s small-scale focus really appeals with ready advice, ideas and experience that can be easily applied.
While we were at it, we wanted to find out more about our readers. What we learned is that you grow a great diversity of crops like soybeans, barley, squash, rhubarb, trees, hops, willow and more. Some popular mentions include veggies, forage, flowers and potatoes.
Diversity is the name of the game when it comes to livestock as well. Our readers really like poultry, cattle, hogs and horses, and raise ducks, quail, goats, turkeys, donkeys, mules, bees, sheep, rabbits, pigeons, alpacas and pheasant. There is also a notable interest in heritage breeds.
Thank you for sharing, your ideas shape our world. In 2025 Small Farm Canada magazine is shaping up with six issue by issue features including poultry, gardening, soil health, education, homesteading and seed. Each issue will also include a plethora of ideas and information that intersect features as well as introduce new and innovative approaches to lifestyle and farming on a small scale.
January – February 2025 Poultry Issue
At SFC we love poultry, and this year we are featuring stories on pasture raised poultry, housing innovations and the why and how of mortality dissection. As well as the poultry directory our New Year’s issue also brings batch cooking ideas and recipes from Helen Lammer-Helps and a new “Waste Nothing” feature from Amy Hogue.
March – April 2025 Garden Issue
We also love all kinds of crops and gardening and so do our readers from the balcony or back 40 to the market garden, fruit and veg to flowers and flax – awareness and production is a positive. Machinery will also be a feature in Spring 2025 as well as Dan Kerr with his tips and DIY guidance on use, maintenance and repairs in every issue.
May – June 2025 Soil Issue
Soil health is a hot-sheet issue at SFC. Our focus on soil health will include pasturing/rotational grazing systems, silvopasture and other soil health promoting measures of having livestock on the land. We will highlight the latest research, trends and ideas for building soil nutrition as well as soil fixes. Gardening, maintenance, food and more will also feature prominently in each issue.
July – August 2025 Education Issue
Our readers think education is important and the opportunities are building. In 2025 we too will continue building a directory of educational opportunities that are sure to fit the diverse needs of farmers working to scale. We need to educate but also to laugh, be healthy and well. Every issue of Small Farm Canada includes healthy lifestyle tips and recipes.
September – October 2025 Homestead Issue
Homesteading anyone? Our readers are striving to be kinder and gentler to Mother Earth. They want ideas on how to waste less, conserve more, sustain, re-use and recycle. That is our focus this issue, extending to off grid living and other lifestyle decisions that fit. Jeff Carter is a proponent and focuses his stories in the Intensive Garden.
November – December 2025 Seed Issue
We’re planting seeds and ideas to year-end with a bang-up issue that includes a guide on seed. The 2026 Small Farm Canada Seed Guide will feature close to 100 seed dealers in a pull-out format with trends and opportunities. Contributors like Kate Ayers, Justin Carrow, Matt Jones, Cary Rideout (to mention a few) will fill out our expert line-up over six issues in 2025.
All issues of Small Farm Canada feature a regular line-up of food, fixing, gardening, livestock, soil health, books, gadgets, machinery, innovation, education, fun and other fantastic forays into small-scale farming and big scale living across Canada.
For more from Small Farm Canada on seeds, poultry, trees and a plethora of other topics, subscribe here and get Small Farm Canada delivered straight to your door!