They were two non-farmers who started out with $500, a wheelbarrow and a dream. Less than 10 years later, Francois Handfield and Veronique Bouchard have a thriving organic market garden, community shared agriculture business supplying produce to about 4,000 people, they employ up to 20 seasonal workers, and gross about $800,000 annually. A lot of […] Read more
Canada’s OYF: Quebec nominees
Francois Handfield and Veronique Bouchard embrace organic farming
2017 young farmers to be showcased
Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers will gather in Penticton later this month
Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers (OYF) will be gathering in Penticton, B.C., later this month to select two farm nominees from seven regional finalists to be named national winners for 2017. About 150 OYF alumni and guests will be gathering at the Lakeside Resort convention centre from Nov. 29 to Dec. 3 for the 37th annual […] Read more
Filling idle days after weaning/harvest
If you can only get to 10 or 15 conferences or trade shows over the next year, here are the first bunch you should consider. (Fortunately most are structured so you not only learn lots, but bring your credit card and you can also buy a new tractor or a bull — you won’t go […] Read more
New bacteria enhance N-fixing performance
Natural soil molecules recruited to help increase pulse crop growth and yield
BASF Canada and Monsanto BioAg have both added different naturally occurring soil bacteria to pulse crop inoculants to enhance the nitrogen fixing capability and growth of pea and lentil crops. Pulsea crop growers are no doubt familiar with BASF’s Nodulator and Monsanto BioAG’s TagTeam pulse crop inoculants. They’ve been around for years. For the 2018 […] Read more
A bit of something for everyone
Hart Attacks: Who needs the moon? I can pick up the phone and learn lots as I travel across the country
I’ve got my application in to be a greeter on that new U.S./Russia space station they are planning to build about 440,000 km above the earth. But since they aren’t doing any real hiring until about 2028 I’ve got some time. (I may withdraw my name anyway. Even when I’m on a boat, I always […] Read more
Sessions offer tips on improving farm profitability
Alberta Canola is running a series of one-day information sessions across Alberta with a focus on AGRONOMY, MARKETING & MANAGEMENT. Although the players may change, depending on location, the sessions promise to offer information to help your farm be more profitable. And that’s a pretty good return on investment considering there is no cost […] Read more
James Hargrave will be missed
I was sorry to hear this week that eastern Alberta rancher James Hargrave was killed when the water truck he was driving was in collision with another vehicle and rolled into the ditch. Hargrave, a volunteer fire fighter with the Cypress County Fire Services, was helping battle a raging grass fire that had spread from […] Read more
Would it really be so bad to have a cool day?
Hart Attacks: In the era of climate change, I should be careful about the kind of weather I wish for
I am really sick of weather forecasters here in Calgary this summer. Finally, this morning one started to make sense — cool, wet days ahead. It doesn’t seem to matter that half of Western Canada is on fire, crops are parched, and ponds and creeks are dry, these forecasters keep telling me here in Calgary […] Read more
Count your canola stubble density
Want to optimize next year’s yield? Count your stubble density before snow flies
While the 2017 crop is going or has gone in the bin, there is one more field operation for canola growers to consider this fall: count your stubble density. Since seeding rate and plant stand are critical components of optimizing canola yield, says Rob McDonald, a senior agronomist with Bayer Crop Science, actually knowing how […] Read more
Food guide isn’t keen on red meat
Hart Attacks: The problem isn’t that I don’t know about good food... the problem is me
Boy, I can’t wait for the revised version of the Canada Food Guide to hit the store shelves so I can start eating properly. Health Canada is proposing changes to the food guide steering people away from red meat and more towards “alternative” proteins such as plant-based proteins — your peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas, or […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
