The Extensionists

Burr Forest Group
  • 5.0 (5)
  • NATURAL SCIENCES

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.

  1. 1D AGO

    Episode 34 – Cees Leeuwis

    Do traditional extension methods still work? On Episode 34 of The Extensionists, hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck meet with Cees Leeuwis, professor of collaborative research, communication and change at the Knowledge Technology and Innovation Group at Wageningen University, to examine traditional extension models and opportunities for system changes. They discuss the transition from traditional, one-way "knowledge transfer" to a collaborative "two-way street" approach. Cees explores the evolution of the Dutch term for extension, voorlichting, which literally means "holding a light in front of someone". He argues this paternalistic model—where scientists are in the light and farmers are in the dark—is outdated and often fails to produce relevant results. The discussion also dives into the current agricultural landscape in the Netherlands, specifically the impact of strict nitrogen regulations and the shift toward privatized extension services. Cees highlights the urgent need for "process facilitators" to repair damaged relationships between the government and producers. Thank you to our episode sponsor, Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers. 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 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social 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, researched by Ashley Robinson, marketed by Michelle McMullen, and designed by Michelle Houlden.

    1h 15m

  2. MAR 24

    Episode 33 – Steve Larocque

    In the 33rd episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck chat with Steve Larocque, the owner and president of Beyond Agronomy, to discuss controlled traffic farming and Nuffield Canada. Steve shares how he grew up in the Ottawa Valley in farm country. After school, he moved out to Alberta thinking he would work on the oilfield, but instead found himself entering the ag world through a job at the Alberta Wheat Pool. He later founded his own agronomy company Beyond Agronomy to fulfill a need he saw. His ag journey later led him to apply to be a Nuffield Scholar in 2008. Steve learned about the scholarship after reading a book that inspired him to apply. His study topic was on precision ag leading him to discover and focus on controlled traffic farming. He later became an advocate for it. Toban questions if he should do it on his own farm. The three talk about what Nuffield Canada is and the impact it has had on Canadian agriculture. Steve shares what we can learn about ag extension from it and the opportunities for Canadian farmers with it. The three also discuss peer to peer learning and why it’s an important extension tool. 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 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social 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 designed by Michelle Houlden.

    1h 1m

  3. MAR 9

    Episode 32 – Mohamad Yaghi

    In the 32nd episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck talk with Mohamad Yaghi, Farm Credit Canada’s vice president of the Innovation Hub and Ag Expert, about technology and farming remotely. Mohamad shares how he operates his family’s Lebanon-based olive and grape farm from Canada. He discusses how technology is making it easier to do so and what farmers in North America can learn from this. The three talk about the struggles with tech adoption on farms and how we can make that process easier for farmers. Mohamad shares the importance of data and how that is the basis of AI, especially when it comes to farmers wanting to use artificial intelligence systems on their farms. Thank you to our episode 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 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social 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 designed by Michelle Houlden.

    1h 13m

  4. FEB 24

    Episode 31 – David Lazarenko

    In the 31st episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with David Lazarenko, partner and executive vice president at ThinkShift, to talk about the world of advertising and what those in agriculture extension can learn from it. The three talk about notable ads – which ones are good and which ones don’t resonate. They discuss how people aren’t remembering ads as much anymore, and why experience is more important now. The three also talk about David’s love of comic books, the intricacy of storytelling, and how these relate to advertising and extension. They discuss AI and the impact it is and will have on the world of advertising, and finally they debate the role agencies will play in the future in advertising and why strategy is important. 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 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social 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 designed by Michelle Houlden.

    1h 19m

  5. FEB 10

    Episode 30 – Franck Carisey

    In the 30th episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Franck Carisey, the owner of Uluwehi Coffee Farm in Hawaii, to learn about coffee farming and how important extension is to running his operation. Franck talks about growing up in France, moving to the United States, and how he ended up - rather recently - becoming a coffee farmer in the Kona region on the Big Island of Hawaii. He shares the story of how he started his farm from scratch, from a book. Franck talks about how he works with extension services through the United States Department of Agriculture and University of Hawaii. And even though Franck only started his farm within the last five years, he’s started to have other producers reach out for help with their operations. The three also discuss what life is like living in Hawaii, and if running a coffee farm is really a retirement job. Thank you to our episode 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 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social 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 designed by Michelle Houlden.

    1h 8m

  6. JAN 27

    Episode 29 – Dez Daniels Live at Ag Days

    In the 29th episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck are at Ag Days for our first ever live recording with media personality Dez Daniels. They talk with Dez about her childhood growing up on a farm in Ituna, Sask. At the time she wasn’t a big fan of farm life and wanted to get away, but now, looking back, she appreciates it. She also discusses her time as host of the popular show Great Tastes of Manitoba. Dez talks about the magic of tv and shares tips for how to do interviews and tell stories visually. Toban and Dez discuss the hour of writing they do a day and how this could be used for board meetings. The three also talk about connecting through empathy and holding space. They discuss why this is important for extension and making hard decisions on the farm. To be noted, the audio quality has an echo at the start of the episode but is clearer after the first 10 minutes. 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 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social 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 designed by Michelle Houlden.

    50 min

  7. JAN 13

    Episode 28 – Tongzhe Li

    Does the message actually matter if the messenger misses the mark? In the 28th episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Tongzhe Li, a professor and Arrell Family Chair in Behavioural and Experimental Economics at the University of Guelph. Her research on farmer behavior proves a vital point: it’s not just what you say to a farmer, but how you say it that truly shifts their decision-making. To bridge the gap between theory and reality, Tongzhe became a farmer. By purchasing a farm in southern Ontario, she moved beyond research data to gain a raw, firsthand perspective on the grueling nature of the industry. This "boots-on-the-ground" immersion transformed her understanding of farmer behaviour. Tongzhe’s perspective is shaped by her journeys through Oxford, Barcelona, and Taiwan. To her, travel is an exploration of context. She believes that the value of any journey is defined by the people you encounter and the purpose behind the trip, reinforcing her core philosophy that in both communication and exploration, the "who" and the "how" are just as vital as the "where." 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 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social 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 designed by Michelle Houlden.

    1h 27m

  8. 2025-12-30

    Episode 27 – The 2025 Holiday Special

    In the 27th episode of The Extensionists, we take a look back at the year that was. Co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck share what they learned from the guests they chatted with in 2025. We then welcome our behind-the-scenes team, producer and editor Abby Wall and coordinator Ashley Robinson, to discuss highlights, what it takes to put The Extensionists together, and what everyone is looking forward to in 2026. 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 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social 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 designed by Michelle Houlden.

    54 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Burr Forest Group
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Burr Forest Group
  • Show Website
    The Extensionists

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