Faith, snuff and slough water

After a wet year, the water in your 
slough may look clean. Test it first. 
The results may surprise you

This is an update to an article that appeared in the September 2006 issue of Grainews. My Dad often talked about early bachelor settlers who lived on “faith, snuff and slough water.” In many cases on the Prairies it is a good thing they had strong faith and brought along lots of Copenhagen because the […] Read more

Living with market volatility

What has this summer taught us about market volatility? That it is alive and well and causing all kinds of market mayhem! Adequate moisture and good growing conditions in the U.S. and Western Canada increased production estimates for all crops, which drove futures values lower daily. Cool wet weather in parts of the U.S. and across the […] Read more


Seeding lessons

My dad told me not to seed double. He told me doing so would cause lodging in the wheat. It’s the section of the field closest to the road everyone on our lane takes to town, and there is a lot of lodging to be seen. It is a mistake I’m reminded of every time […] Read more

Learn to sell before you buy

A lot of investors feel that buying right is the most important part of owning stocks. From my experience, selling right is more important than buying right. Selling right One reason to learn to sell right is that you should get you out of a stock near the top of its price. “But I might […] Read more


Low interest rates won’t last forever

Low interest rates are set to continue for another year or more. 
Find out how farmers can make the most of the current environment

Interest rates are due to rise and, as the world waits for low single digit interest and borrowing rates to rise to historical norms, mischief stalks the land. Far from the canyons of Wall and Bay streets, farmers are at risk of having to pay more to borrow money and, as a result, earning less […] Read more

Market dynamics

How have the markets changed since spring? Let’s start by looking at Prairie weather to date: March/April: Late snows left ample moisture but threatened to delay seeding and/or potentially reduce acres seeded. April/May: Warm weather allowed for quick seeding. June: Excess moisture flooded some areas and made spraying a bit of a mud fling at […] Read more


Considerations for additional storage

We’ve noticed a common theme underlying recent calls from our clients. Many are looking for advice about adding grain or fertilizer storage. The future is full of uncertainty. Will the crop yield as expected? Will the commodity prices shrink and drag fertilizer with them? What will the fertilizer market do in the next 12 months? […] Read more

Moonlighting Grainews staff

Grainews field editor Lisa Guenther has been using her free time to write a book. It’s a mystery novel, set in small-town Saskatchewan. She’s finished a draft, printed it out, and now she’s been awarded second place in the Saskatchewan Writers Guild’s annual John V. Hicks contest. If you’re not a Saskatchewan writer, you won’t […] Read more


Young farmers plan farm growth, family

Looking at their options early will help ensure a bright financial future for this young farm couple

Out on the Prairies of western Manitoba, a couple — we’ll call them Herb, 30, and Sally, 28, are building their lives on a 500-acre farm they own and Herb’s 17 per cent share in a 2,500 acre family farm. Sally has a town job — she works in a bank and pulls down an […] Read more

Off-farm investing

It’s been a busy month. I’ve learned how to do bull put credit spreads and, more recently, bear call spreads. I can make some good cash without owning the shares. Spreads The is a little more complicated than selling covered calls on stocks I own. However, I think it’s a natural step forward for anyone […] Read more