Columns & Production Tips

Glacier FarmMedia has compiled an online resource for farmers who are feeling the brunt of drought this year.

Editor’s Column: The Dry Times. A GFM drought resource designed for farmers

By Kari Belanger August 25, 2021

Although Genny Silvernagle and her husband, Ron, consider themselves retired now, they still help their son, Brent, on the family farm and are active in their farming community near Biggar, Sask. Genny and Ron started farming together at Silver Acres farm in 1963, the same year they were married. They’ve been through a few drought […] Read more

Crops, Wheat & Chaff

How to minimize grain spoilage risk in the bin

Q & A with an expert

By Derek Flad August 17, 2021

Q: What can I do at harvest to minimize winter storage stress? A: Heading into the fall season, conversations about harvest management and grain storage inevitably arise. Although every harvest brings unique challenges, it is important to do what we can agronomically and logistically to help minimize risk of spoilage, no matter what Mother Nature […] Read more

Dairy Cattle, Livestock, The Dairy Corner

Udder edema puts dairy cows under pressure

Dairy Corner: If a chronic problem, a change in ration formulation may be needed

By Peter Vitti August 12, 2021

Udder edema is the swelling and visible accumulation of fluid in a cow’s udder at calving, or it may appear a couple of weeks ahead of time in the close-up pen. Fortunately, most distressed cows do not need any producer or vet intervention. That’s because most of these cases disappear on their own, usually after […] Read more

Columns

How I doubled my money in less than four years, Part 2

Five things I did to build my portfolio

By Herman VanGenderen August 9, 2021

The last article discussed a number of things I didn’t do to build my newsletter portfolio. This column will turn to the things I did. Some of these may appear like a broken record from past articles but warrant repeating. None of this is rocket science and I’m sure not a rocket scientist. Perhaps that’s […] Read more

One of the last foals born in 2021,  affectionately named “Tarzan” by Joseph.

Cattleman’s Corner, Columns

A busy spring with crazy weather

Eppich News: Last of the 2020 foals sold, and a few of the 2021 crop spoken for

By Heather Eppich August 6, 2021

The beginning of May found us seeding and foaling. By the morning of May 14, all seven of our foals had been born and were doing well. We ended up with four fillies and three colts. That afternoon we branded our calves and vaccinated our cows. We worked at it slowly and we got it […] Read more

The east side of my Dundurn quarter NW22 32 3W3.

Columns, Crops

Les Henry: A snow job, Part 2

Watch out for crop variability in 2021

By Les Henry August 3, 2021

Drought is now the operative word in major areas of Prairie farming for 2021. The drought in this area started on July 8, 2020, and has been interrupted by only two significant events — the big snow and blow of November 7 and 8 last year and the welcome May 2021 long weekend rain of […] Read more

Columns, Crops

St(RAW) deal

Don’t rob our Prairie croplands — help rejuvenate them by working in all crop residues

By Ieuan Evans July 28, 2021

Here we go again. “Alberta May Get Straw Plant” was a headline that appeared last summer in an agricultural publication. Why the concern? How many of you remember those massive piles of straw on the Trans-Canada Highway near Elie, Man., just east of Winnipeg? There were stacks and stacks of big, round straw bales — […] Read more

Jim Willson made this three-point attached ballast for a Kubota compact tractor.

Equipment, Wheat & Chaff

How to make a ballast for your compact tractor

This three-point homemade ballast offers better results for weight distribution, traction

By Jim Willson July 26, 2021

Compact tractors now often come with a front-end loader. Missing is ballast to offset the weight of the loader, bucket and material, and to provide good traction in snow. A three-point attached ballast matched in size and shape provides dramatically better results. And it is easily removed when not needed. The ballast in the photo […] Read more

Columns, Features

Farmers could benefit financially from this trend

Farm Financial Planner: Urban dwellers pay high prices for small land parcels

By Andrew Allentuck July 19, 2021

There is a trend for city folk to buy country property to get away from the COVID-19 virus, city lockdowns and everything else associated with the world pandemic. It’s a pattern of outmigration from densely populated cities. Farmers are potential beneficiaries. They can sell small parcels at relatively high prices. I have found city folk […] Read more

Rob Stone farms near Davidson, Sask. He threw down a rain gauge challenge on May 14 for a half-inch of rain by May 25, promising to donate $1,000 to charity should that happen. He invited others to join him — the response was beyond his expectations.

Editor's column, Wheat & Chaff

Editor’s Column: Rainy day challenge exceeds all expectations and raises awareness about agriculture

By Kari Belanger July 14, 2021

At Stone Farms this spring, seeding was touch and go. It was a similar story for many Prairie farmers — the rains quit around July last year, crops used up every drop of moisture in the soil profile, no moisture recharge in the fall, not enough winter precipitation and no spring runoff. To top it […] Read more

GFM Network News

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures slow descent

U.S. grains: Soybeans, wheat plummet from highs on limited Chinese demand

Feed Grain Weekly: Prices starting to pick up