Survey results are in. We’re seeing more and more earthworms in the Prairies than we saw before, and we sure don’t like them in our gardens
In the October 22, 2012 issue of Grainews we talked about earthworms and the impact our current farming system has had in developing viable populations in farm fields. It had been my observations that earthworms were rare in farm fields with our old farming system of fallow and mainly cereal crops with little fertilizer. The […] Read moreNow that Toban Dyck and his wife have spent some time on the farm, he’s ready to get on with the real business of farming
The farm is now my home. My wife and I no longer spend time gasping at how our current situation differs from our last decade of life in the city. A month and a half into country life, we now exist in the brief limbo period between being an outsider and an engaged member of […] Read moreThe popular quote is “Change can be a good thing.” That’s only true if you can figure out how to benefit from the change
Delivering to the Cana-dian Wheat Board has changed. You need to figure out if delivering to the new CWB can benefit you, and how (or if) you can use CWB in your marketing plan. Admin Changes 2. An important change has been made to contracts for landlords and interested parties. Separate contracts must be signed […] Read moreWhen it’s time for generational change, this family needs to consider age and their children’s special requirements
It is a farm in crisis. A couple we’ll call Max, 74, and Ruth, 71, are struggling to keep 640 acres of mixed hay and grain in central Alberta going. But it’s getting to be almost impossible. Max has trouble getting around and is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. As a result, they have rented out […] Read moreEarthworms provide numerous benefits to soil. One of the under-researched side effects of our switch to zero till may be an increase in earthworm activity
When I taught the first year soils class at the University of Saskatchewan, soil biology was a quick study. The rhizobium that fix nitrogen with legumes were discussed in detail. The bacteria that control conversion of organic nitrogen to the mineral forms (nitrate and ammonium) were also considered important. Earthworms The bigger things like earthworms […] Read more
