Farmers share their listening preferences with harvest season around the corner
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
With the 2022 harvest either underway or about to get going in parts of western Canada, farmers are spending multiple hours in their combines.
Grain farmers could spend 80 hours per week harvesting or transporting their crops, meaning they need entertainment options to pass the time.
With that at top of mind, Farms.com connected with two farmers to share what’s on their harvest playlists.
Korey Peters grows about 5,000 acres of wheat, canola, corn and soybeans at Herbsigwil Farms in Hanover, Man.
When he’s running the semis on the farm, it’s mainly podcasts he listens to.
His listening interests include ag industry podcasts.
But as “the best NHL fantasy hockey pool manager in the land” based on his Twitter profile, he listens to lots of Winnipeg sports talk.
“There’s one podcast called Bonfire Sports that’s all about the Winnipeg Blue Bombers,” he told Farms.com. “And Spittin Chiclets (a hockey and pop culture podcast) are my main ones.”
Music also makes its way into Peters’ rotation.
As a former music teacher, Peters has two genres of music he mainly puts through his earbuds.
“It’s a mix of country and rock,” he said. “But I’ll listen to anything and I’m always looking for new bands to check out.”
On days where it may be hard to get going, Peters tends to call up one particular band.
“Anything by Rage Against the Machine will wake you up in the morning,” he said.
Sean Stanford grows about 5,000 acres of barley, canola and wheat on his family’s farm, Twisted Iron Farming, near Magrath, Alta.
Stanford’s listening habits change depending on the day.
“If it’s a good day I usually have a true crime podcast on. If it’s a bad day I’ve got some rock music going,” he told Farms.com.
Stanford doesn’t have a favourite individual crime podcast. He bases his choices on whether he finds the cover art interesting.
When spending multiple hours in a combine each day, it’s easy to get invested in the story, he said.
“Those stories are so interesting and entertaining,” he said. “It doesn’t take much to get sucked into the story and next thing you know two or three hours have passed.”
If it’s music coming through the dial, Stanford stays away from country.
“I’m the total opposite of most farmers,” he said. “I’ll do anything to avoid the country music station.”
Instead, it’s hard rock and metal coming through the speakers.
“I like The Glorious Sons, Metallica, AC/DC and I listen to Foster the People a lot.”
Like Peters, Stanford has a song he likes to call up on days when he may need an extra boost.
“Learn to Fly by the Foo Fighters is a great song to get you going in the morning,” he said.
What’s on your harvest time playlist?