Cabbage seedpod weevil.

A proactive approach to insect management

Q & A with an expert

Q: What steps can I take to reduce the risk of insect damage? A: In the spring, the threat of insects may seem far off, but there are steps you can take at seeding time to reduce the risk of insect damage. Proactive measures are powerful tools to protect yield and reduce the amount of […] Read more

A good method for supplying corn with nitrogen in-season is to apply anhydrous ammonia as a banded side dressing between the rows.

Fertility tips for corn

How to get the most out of your fertilizer dollars

Corn is a crop that needs a lot of nitrogen to grow properly and produce the best yields. With today’s high prices for fertilizer and high crop prices, it’s more important than ever to strike the right balance that optimizes yields and profits while keeping fertility costs under control. “There’s a lot of money at […] Read more


photo: andreswd/istock/getty images

Company analysis, real live examples

A focus on price/cash flow, cash flow/assets and cash flow growth

Following up on recent articles, it might be beneficial to work through real stock selection examples. My first example compares two of the largest worldwide integrated oil companies, Chevron (CVX) and Exxon (XOM), along with the largest Canadian company, Suncor (SU). I will attempt to cut through much financial gobbledygook (it’s a real word in […] Read more

 Bolting two railway ties together to make an extra long and strong gatepost, makes it possible to dig the post deep into the ground so hopefully it won’t be lifted by frost, regardless of moisture conditions.

A gatepost that shouldn’t move

Trick is to get the post deep enough below subsurface water and frost line so it won't lift out

Corral gates, or any long, heavy gates that need to be securely stable and never sag, require a deep and sturdy post that won’t lean, shift or work up out of the ground with frost heaves. A post not set deep enough, or in unstable ground, will eventually shift with the weight of the gate, […] Read more


Can-Am has a new cab option on its Defender 6X6.

New UTVs for 2022

Can-Am and Polaris offer more models

New for the 2022 model year from Polaris is the Ranger SP 570, which is available in two- or four-seat configurations. The two-seater comes with a liquid-cooled 567-cubic centimetre, 44-horsepower gasoline engine with all-wheel drive, two-wheel drive and VersaTrac Turf Mode drive system, which unlocks the rear differential to minimize ground damage on turns. The […] Read more

The development of insecticide resistance happens for the same reason weeds become resistant to herbicides — the overuse of certain crop protection products, says John Gavloski with Manitoba Agriculture.

How to prevent insecticide resistance from developing on your farm

It doesn’t happen often on the Prairies but when it does product overuse is often to blame

Insecticide resistance on the Canadian Prairies is rare. Experts say producers have a pretty good handle on how to manage their insect crop pests with the products they have. But that doesn’t mean resistance doesn’t happen. Resistance in insects occurs for the same basic reason it does in weeds, says a leading entomologist — the […] Read more


Three generations of the Eppich family take to the ice on a farm pond before the spring thaw arrives.

Foaling begins as calving season ends

There’s always some ups and downs, but fortunately more ‘ups’

March was a busy month for us with calving. It was still quite cold at night so we were doing night checks at two-hour intervals. Our first heifer calved March 6 and we had to pull the calf. That same afternoon the newest member of Eppich family, Ian, was baptized. It was a beautiful ceremony […] Read more

Canadiana classics — Part 2: Rhubarb, a great spring fever tonic

Canadiana classics — Part 2: Rhubarb, a great spring fever tonic

Most Prairie gardens have a patch of rhubarb and it is one of the first plants to emerge in the spring

Most Prairie gardens have a patch of rhubarb and it is one of the first plants to emerge in the spring

Few ingredients say “Canada” — or spring — as insistently as rhubarb. Rhubarb thrives in cool climates and is among the first plants to emerge in spring. My mom has a rhubarb patch, like most Prairie gardeners. She can’t keep up with it once it hits its stride, so I am the lucky beneficiary. The […] Read more


PHOTO: FERTNIG/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES

Unexpected trips and falls are major causes of injury

To help prevent this try these exercises to build awareness of the feet

Unexpected trips, stumbles and falls are major causes of injury risk for the vast majority of people, and the risk tends to go up as we age. The passage of time does often come with a regression of things like balance, body awareness and control. Degeneration of joint structures, soft tissue and neurological ability physically […] Read more

PHOTO: FIZKES/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES

When it’s hard to honour Mom what can I do?

When you’re feeling stuck in your relationship here’s some suggestions

Coming to terms with a farm mom who is difficult to deal with may not be what you were expecting to read. After decades coaching farm families, one might expect that farm moms always are collaborative and willing to negotiate what is the best for all members of the family. Recently, the word “narcissist” has […] Read more