Columns & Production Tips

Maize was developed by the Mayan peoples from a wild plant that looked more like wheat than the present-day corn cobs.

The bountiful Americas

Some thoughts on food

By Ieuan Evans November 23, 2022

When we think of celebrations, such as Christmas, Thanksgiving or even Halloween, we give little thought to the food we eat. What about that Christmas or Thanksgiving turkey, the centrepiece of the celebration? Did this iconic bird come from Turkey? No way. Turkeys are exclusive to North America — Mexico, United States and Canada. There […] Read more

Features, Practical Tips

How to build your resilience

When it comes to your mental health, resilience is an important skill to develop. Here’s why and how

By Jim Timlick November 22, 2022

Farming can exact a heavy emotional toll on even the hardiest of souls. Between dealing with volatile markets, extreme weather and long hours of work, often in isolated conditions, it’s no surprise Canadian farmers suffer higher rates of anxiety and depression than the general public. A University of Guelph study surveyed 1,132 Canadian farmers between […] Read more

Columns, Practical Tips

When circumstances change, make new plans

How to protect your farm and your loved ones as lifespans decrease and asset values rise

By Andrew Allentuck November 21, 2022

A couple we’ll call Luke and Mary, who are both in their late fifties, live in southwestern Manitoba. They have recently moved in together. Love may be forever, but tax and inheritance law make it essential they review their finances. Farm Financial Planner asked Colin Sabourin, a certified financial planner with Harbourfront Wealth Management in […] Read more

News, Wheat & Chaff

Two new book releases by Prairie authors

Just in time for the holiday season

By Jim Timlick November 18, 2022

Two members of the Grainews family have recently released books that are sure to be of interest to readers in Western Canada. Former Grainews editor Larry Gompf is the author of A Slimmer You: A Natural Way to Lose Weight, released this past June by publisher FriesenPress. Meanwhile, First We Eat columnist, dee Hobsbawn-Smith, is […] Read more

Farm Life, Practical Tips

Avoid driving pain

Stiff and sore after a long day in the tractor or on the highway? Try these tips to help you feel better

By Kathlyn Hossack November 16, 2022

Long drives are an unavoidable part of life on the farm or in the country. Whether it is long days spent in a tractor or driving across the Prairies, we often have to put our bodies in sedentary positions just by the nature of our lifestyles. Tension and pain in the lower body, spine and […] Read more

This photo shows my grandmother, then Joan
Hay, (standing up, second from right) at one of
the first VE (Victory in Europe) Day celebrations
in 1945. The street party was in front of my
grandmother’s house in Greenford, London,
England. Joan was one of the millions of children
evacuated in Operation Pied Piper.

Editor's column, Wheat & Chaff

Editor’s Column: November: a month for remembrances

By Kari Belanger November 15, 2022

As I sit down to write this column in late October, my thoughts turn to the month ahead. I usually enjoy November, as it is the time I plan the winter issues of Grainews. As you are winding down your busy production period, we’re beginning ours. It’s good to take a step back and reflect […] Read more

Crops, Equipment, Wheat & Chaff

When wheels cause soil damage

Q & A with an expert

By Lyle Cowell November 1, 2022

Q: Can we fix compaction? A: As equipment becomes bigger and total loaded weight becomes heavier, our soils are often subjected to compaction. When equipment was lighter, this compaction tended not to extend very deep into the soil, and the effect was often resolved by frost cycles that fractured and turned the surface soil. Now, […] Read more

Canola, Cereals, Features, Practical Tips

Take these steps to protect the quality of your stored cereal grains and canola

Don’t let malathion residue or OTA development put your stored crops at risk

By Leah Heppenstall October 28, 2022

As crops are coming off the fields and into the bin, Keep it Clean is reminding growers of best management practices to maintain crop quality and reduce storage risk. Two of the biggest risks to stored grain are contamination and spoilage. “Before storing canola, it’s absolutely essential that the bins are clean and malathion-free,” says […] Read more

A picture is better than 1,000 words. Here is a young canola crop neatly placed between the
12-inch-high wheat stubble from the Nerbas farm last year. The wheat stubble will have
caught snow to help provide better germination for the shallow-seeded canola and it
shelters the canola from wind.

Columns, Crops

Les Henry: Fuzzy thinking about soils and agricultural performance

What constitutes sustainable on a farm depends on soil climatic zone and what is feasible for the area

By Les Henry October 26, 2022

There seems to be a constant barrage of media comment about agriculture by folks who have little contact with real farms and little formal training in an agriculture faculty or school. Much of the discourse talks about sustainable agriculture, resiliency, regenerative agriculture and particularly soil health. There is not much detail about what the terms […] Read more

Columns, Hart Attacks, News

Time for the ‘Big R’ has come

About 10,000 interviews and 45 billion words later there’s nothing left to say — almost

By Lee Hart October 25, 2022

By about this time next week — October 20 to be exact — I will be retired. After about 50 years of writing and editing and rarely missing a deadline, October 20 is my last day of full-time employment. October 20 is my birthday. I will be turning 71 (where the heck did that number […] Read more

GFM Network News

Huge crops in South America says analyst

U.S. livestock: ‘Cattle on feed’ report supports prices

U.S. grains: Wheat trades near contract lows under ample global supply

Columns