Given the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, the country might seem like a risky place to conduct a 10-day crop tour. But Mike Lee’s confident he can pull it off. “A lot of people think we’re completely nuts for going there. But to me, it’s not that crazy. It’s a fairly normal, straightforward place if […] Read more
Guenther: ‘Full story’ sought on crop health in Ukraine, Russia
Raising kids down on the farm
It’s not all one long Disney movie, but there are also many lifestyle benefits
It’s a cliché, but it’s a cliché because there’s some truth to it. Farms are great places for kids to build character. I asked farmers on Twitter what they thought about raising kids on farms. Work ethic kept coming up. Terry James, an Alberta farmer, said some employers value former farm kids for their work […] Read more
N.A.G. Bags limit feed waste
Netted material comes in a range of sizes to hold enough feed for just a few hours or even to a large round bale
An Edmonton area-based company is marketing a netted bag system for limit feeding horses and other types of livestock. The N.A.G. Bags which can be stuffed with hay, or stretched over a full round bale of hay are marketed by Alex Von Hauff of Strathcona Ventures in Sherwood Park, Alta., which carries a wide range […] Read more
What you need to know about controlled traffic farming
CTF enthusiasts are drawing lots of interest, and starting to collect long-term data. For some, the benefits will outweigh the costs
When you think about compaction, you might think an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Controlled traffic farming is a system that may be both cure and prevention. Controlled traffic farming separates crop from traffic zones. “Wheel tracks are confined to specific lanes or tramlines,” Peter Gamache told delegates at Crop […] Read more
Feeder helps reduce hay waste
Designed to encourage eating of small amounts all day
Stroll through the trade show at a farm conference, and you’ll quickly find people who saw a need for a product for their own livestock and turned it into a business. The Jubinville family is one example. “My dad invented the feeder and then my brother and I saw how well it worked and we […] Read more
Keeping the old Cat running
On his ranch near Turtle Lake, Wilfred Hamm is still using his 820 John Deere and D4 Caterpillar
Wilfred Hamm has a large collection of old and antique farm machinery, and much of it is still used on his ranch near Turtle Lake, Saskatchewan. Wilfred uses an 820 John Deere for cultivating summer fallow. The 820 John Deere is a two-cylinder diesel. It has a four-cylinder pony engine which runs on gas. Wilfred […] Read more
Resisting fusarium head blight
Plant breeders are making progress in developing wheat varieties that are resistant, but it’s a marathon, not a sprint
There’s been a lot of effort put into breeding fusarium-resistant varieties, Dr. Anita Brûlé-Babel told CropSphere delegates in Saskatoon in January. But developing cereal varieties resistant to fusarium head blight (FHB) is more like a marathon than a sprint. “There’s been a lot of breeding challenges. And I know a lot of farmers have been […] Read more
Guenther: McDonald’s sustainability goals to reach beyond beef
Farmers who want to keep supplying the world’s biggest quick-service restaurant chains can expect more scrutiny of their methods going forward. That’s because the chains’ customers appear to be looking for more sustainably-produced food — so companies such as McDonald’s in turn are looking for third-party verification to prove the ingredients they source make the […] Read more
Back to tillage after wet years
With extra rain, tillage is back in style in some areas. First, evaluate the risks of erosion and salinity. Then, consider dealing with compaction
Soggy springs and summers have made tillage fashionable again in some parts of the Prairies. Some see tillage as a means of drying saturated soils. Others hope to relieve compacted soils through some sort of vertical tillage. But is tillage an effective solution to these problems? And do the potential benefits outweigh the risks? Tilling […] Read more
Cheaper crude clouds Canada’s economic fortunes
While dropping oil prices have boosted the U.S. economy, how the price slump will affect the outlook north of the border remains a question mark from where Canada’s largest lender sits. “In Canada, it’s a little bit less clear-cut. And the reason is our energy sector is much larger as a share of the overall […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
