Ergot in a rye crop

A closer look at ergot

Get your soils tested for copper levels if you get ergot in wheat, barley or oats, and if crops lodge easily and the grain is poor quality

Let’s get this story on track once and for all. Ergot, as we know it in Canada, is a fungal infection of cereal grains and grasses. The word ergot is derived from the French word argot, meaning a spur. Ergots form within grain heads and displace the developing seed or grain. Ergot size may depend […] Read more

How big are some of these container ships in our global supply chain? Below are a few facts that surprised me.

This pandemic ain’t over yet

Aside from human health issues, other ramifications are just emerging

Global pandemic or not, I just hope the shelves at either of the Canadian Tire stores within 10 minutes of my house do not go bare over the coming weeks. There are just a lot of things, like perhaps a 250-piece wrench set that complements the 125-piece screwdriver set I bought last year that I […] Read more





While field crops are being combined, James helps his mother harvest the last of the corn from the garden.

Harvest has a few ups and downs

If weather held, combining would be done by late September

September turned out to be windy with a bit of rain here and there. From September 1 to 5, we had a good run on harvest. In the mornings we would unload the trucks from the night before, service the machines and tend to any minor issues. Joseph, James and I would also usually get […] Read more

An investor should have at least five years of successful stock investing experience, encompassing at least one bear market.

How I doubled my money in less than four years, Part 4

Cautions around put selling and why it works

The previous article might have intrigued you on my put selling strategy, so I thought it important to also share cautionary guidelines. Before beginning such a strategy, an investor should have at least five years of successful stock investing experience, encompassing at least one bear market. If past success has been spotty, fixing basic stock […] Read more


This 50-foot well, set up to automatically keep the trough full, kept a few dozen cow-calf pairs happy this summer. Recent rain has greened up the pasture so stock is still there September 10. Many mornings when I arrive, the cow-calf pairs are lounging around slaking their thirst and then they saunter off to find some grass. It has been fun to watch.

Les Henry: Your guide to finding water in the ground via wells

They’re often a good solution to the water problem in pastures

The drought of 2021 has left pastures with dry sloughs and dugouts. A good solution to the water problem in pastures is often a well, or multiple wells. Many former community pastures had several wells with old-fashioned windmills that filled the need in spades. In our soil salinity work of the 1980s and 1990s, we […] Read more

Ed and Barb have focused their lives and finances on the farm. They have only $50,000 in their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP). Most of the retirement income is going to have to come from Ernie when he takes over the farm.

Manitoba grain farmers find a way forward

Legacy is preserved and provisions made for non-farming children

In southern Manitoba, a couple we’ll call Ed and Barb, both 64, farm 900 acres of grain with some beef cattle. They have a son Ernie who is 40 years old. He farms and wants to take over Ed and Barb’s spread when they retire. A daughter, 38, who is married to another farmer, could […] Read more


Should you till after a drought?

Should you till after a drought?

Q & A with an expert

Q: What factors should be considered with fall tillage following a drought? A: Fall work might include tillage operations for fertilizer and herbicide applications. Other tillage operations might include vertical tillage for residue management and tillage to break up surface compaction. The question after a drought is, “Should I till?”  Many parts of Western Canada […] Read more

Keep grain in good condition to prevent entrapment

Keep grain in good condition to prevent entrapment

Take these safety measures if you must enter your grain bin

A sobering statistic from the Canadian Agricultural Injury data indicates there is an average of four fatalities due to grain entrapment every year in Canada. Grain entrapment incidents happen in grain bins, trucks, wagons, railcars and grain piles. Unfortunately, engulfment happens very quickly, and most victims do not survive. The best way to prevent grain […] Read more