Growing potatoes in Prairie farm gardens should be relatively easy if you’re able to anticipate and avoid the usual problems.

Let’s meet the potato family

Part 4 of a series on Prairie farm gardens

The potato is a member of the solanum or Solanaceae family, made up of thousands of wild and cultivated species that range from deadly nightshade to tomatoes. Commonly cultivated in farm gardens are potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and tomatillos. Members of this family also include petunias, lobelias, tobacco and common weeds such as black nightshade […] Read more

For fresh eating and freezing, fava beans must be picked when they are full-sized beans.

Fava beans for Prairie gardens — and fields

Part 3 of a series on Prairie farm gardens

The fava bean (Vicia faba) in Canada is often misunderstood, treated as though it is strictly a southern European or Middle Eastern legume crop. I have even seen the large fava bean type labelled as a Chinese crop. In point of fact, all of Europe grew fava beans. The beans were traditionally classified according to […] Read more


Tips when selecting a new seed variety

Tips when selecting a new seed variety

Q & A with an expert

Q: What should I consider when I’m choosing a new variety? A: When choosing a new variety with a grower, I look at many factors including maturities, past crop rotations, herbicides used and specific weed issues as well as any disease or insect concerns the grower may have in their fields. And, of course, how […] Read more

Hollie Rudy is a
territory manager
with Nutrien
Financial. One of
her tips for farmers
is don’t wait too
long to take
advantage of
incentive programs
for seed and crop
input purchases.

Five tips for better year-end financial planning

What you can do to maximize profitability and financial sustainability in 2023

December is an excellent time to review your finances and to make sure you are setting up your farm business for the biggest profits possible in 2023. That means taking certain actions and avoiding others. For some farm business strategies, we checked in with Hollie Rudy, a territory manager with Nutrien Financial who also farms […] Read more


Keep on target

Keep on target

Strategies to minimize pesticide spray drift on your farm

Spray drift is defined as the off-target movement of pesticide dust or droplets through the air at the time of application or soon after. It can have serious implications for neighbouring farmers and other property owners. It’s an issue that has been around almost as long as pesticides have been used to protect crops against […] Read more

How to build your resilience

How to build your resilience

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

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


When circumstances change, make new plans

When circumstances change, make new plans

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

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

Avoid driving pain

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

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


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

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

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

Soil sampling time is here again

Soil sampling time is here again

Five factors to consider to ensure success this fall

It’s soil sampling season again. There’s lots of good information on soil sampling procedures provided by various reputable sources, such as the provincial agriculture departments, crop commissions and fertilizer dealers. I won’t do a detailed review on sampling procedures in this article. Instead, I will comment on a few key issues for consideration to ensure […] Read more