Enjoying apfelstreuselkuchen 
in a café in Berlin.

In search of apples — anything with apples

This fruit brings back fond memories of growing up on the farm

In Berlin, I left the hotel early one morning in search of coffee and apples. Anything with apples. Wandering the neighbourhood, I found a sunny little bakery on a leafy street near the Brandenburg Gate. It had a tiny sidewalk patio with four tables and a plethora of potted plants. Best of all, a sign […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

U.S. workers sue Monsanto claiming herbicide caused cancer

Reuters — A U.S. farm worker and a horticultural assistant have filed lawsuits claiming Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide caused their cancers and Monsanto intentionally misled the public and regulators about the dangers of the herbicide. The lawsuits come six months after the World Health Organization’s cancer research unit said it was classifying glyphosate, the active weed-killing […] Read more


(Photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. court finds EPA wrong to approve sulfoxaflor over bee risks

Reuters — A U.S. appeals court ruled on Thursday that federal regulators erred in allowing an insecticide developed by Dow AgroSciences onto the market, canceling its approval and giving environmentalists a major victory. The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in San Francisco, is significant for commercial beekeepers and others […] Read more




(Dave Bedard photo)

Bayer issues fungicide warning for wine grape growers

Zurich | Reuters — Germany’s Bayer has advised wine grape growers not to use its Moon Privilege fungicide until its Bayer CropScience arm has investigated whether there’s a connection between the product’s use and reported crop damage. Growers have reported deformed leaves and lower yields from their crops this year. Referring to “atypical symptoms” in […] Read more



New York Fries, whose butter chicken poutine is shown here, is poised to become part of the Cara stable of restaurant brands. (NewYorkFries.com)

Canadian chain New York Fries to join Cara

A potato-based staple of shopping-mall food courts across Canada is set to become an arm of the country’s biggest full-service restaurant operator. The numbered owner of New York Fries agreed Monday to a cash deal to sell its entire stake to Cara Operations Ltd., which operates or franchises dining brands across Canada including Swiss Chalet, […] Read more


A diamondback pupa. (Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Genetically modified diamondback moth offers pest control hope

London | Reuters –– Scientists in Britain say they have developed a way of genetically modifying and controlling an invasive species of moth that causes serious pest damage to cabbages, kale, canola and other similar crops worldwide. In what they said could be a pesticide-free and environmentally-friendly way to control insect pests, the scientists, from […] Read more

Loving that Tema green bean

Loving that Tema green bean

Plus, Ted shares some letters and hears from some seniors

Occasionally my song “Green Beans and Ripe Tomatoes” gets aired over some radio station. Apart from that I sometimes sing it at personal appearances. Here on this Grainews page my audience and I get together via the printed word. For starters, I’ve something to say about beans. In my April 7, 2015 closing tag I […] Read more