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.

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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.

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

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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

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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.

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.

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.

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.

Is soil health really Senator Robert Black’s passion? And why does it take so long to get a Bill passed with the government?

In the 26 th episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with the Honourable Robert Black, Senator for Ontario and Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. Senator Black shares how he became a soil health champion and pushed for the new Senate report on soil health.

Senator Black takes the time to explain how the parliamentary process works, using his soil- related Bill as a case study. He also shares tips on how to have the most impact when meeting with politicians. He’s a fan of leave-behinds, his of which are infographics.

Senator Black tells the story of how he became a Senator through “raising his hand.” The three also talk about the importance of Senator Black’s 4-H background in his Senate work.

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.

Why are we so skeptical when it comes to soil health policy? Sabrina Perić, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Calgary, took a deep dive into what Canadian farmers are really thinking and feeling when it comes to soil health and other policy decisions.

In the 25th episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Sabrina, who didn’t actually set out to work in agriculture but found herself drawn into it. The energy researcher grew up in Yugoslavia in a port city, which fueled her later interest in energy.

Sabrina’s interest in people ultimately led to a crossover into the world of agriculture. Her latest research into soil health skepticism in Canada revealed a national disconnect. The three also discuss the idea of a national soil strategy and how buy-in may happen if policymakers are willing to do boots-on-the-ground work with farmers.

They talk about Sabrina’s childhood growing up in modern day Croatia, Italy, and Slovenia (Yugoslavia) and summers spent on her grandmother’s farm eating as many cherries as possible.

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.

Being a farmer can easily become your identity, but what happens when that identity is threatened? For “The Recovering Farmer” Gerry Friesen, he found himself facing that very issue nearly two decades ago.

In the 24th episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Gerry. The three dig deep into the mental health struggles farmers face and what you can do to support yourself and those around you. It really can be just as easy as listening when a friend decides they’re ready to talk.

They discuss how mental illness isn’t something that just happens one day. It’s something that builds over years. Gerry shares his own experience with being diagnosed with anxiety and depression, and the work he has done to help others in the agriculture industry who have faced similar challenges.

Gerry also shares his favourite Mennonite foods, which Toban enjoys himself, and the three discuss how hard it is to shed that Mennonite guilt.

Thank you to our episode sponsor Alberta Canola.

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.