Crops
The Manitoba government’s pulse specialist said it’s likely there will be more dry bean acres seeded in the province this spring.
Crops
Pulse weekly outlook: More acres for dry beans in Manitoba
Soybean acres also expected to increase
Satellite-based insurance may be future of forage risk management
Analysis from above could be an accurate, timely way to measure forage growth
Glacier FarmMedia — Satellite-based insurance technology could be a way to protect beef producers during times of drought. There’s more interest in forage insurance during recent droughty times on the Prairies, but evaluating local forage risk is challenging. “Weather events are becoming more acute in severity and frequency, you know the drought of 2023, 2021,” […] Read more
The flatulence-free faba bean
The process used is seen as an important tool for sustainability
Glacier FarmMedia — Let’s get the obvious part out of the way. By separating “the good stuff” (protein, starch and dietary fibre) from faba beans, a University of Alberta researcher has improved on a process that minimizes human flatulence from eating them. That issue has long been a deterrent to mass acceptance of the pulse. […] Read more
Alberta crop commissions name leadership
Cereal, canola, pulse organizations welcome new board members
Meeting season on the Prairies brings new leadership to Alberta’s merged wheat and barley commissions, along with new board members for the province’s canola and pulse groups. Alberta Grains on Jan. 31 announced Tara Sawyer, who farms near Acme, as the chair for its inaugural board of directors. Sawyer previously served as Alberta Barley’s chair, […] Read more
Alfalfa replant disease and related disorders
Whatever the cause, we can realize it's a problem and try to avoid it
Back in the 1980s I spent a lot of time on alfalfa diseases, particularly the verticillium wilt disease problem that was spreading across the Prairies, particularly in southern Alberta. In a few snow-free and cold Decembers in those years, a lot of damage was done to alfalfa, winterkilling entire fields of three-year-old stands. Even white […] Read more
Compostable bale wrap heads toward wide release
Nature's Net Wrap an environment-friendly alternative to long-lived plastic
Virtually every cattle farmer and rancher has tripped over an old piece of plastic baler twine or net wrap stuck in the ground in a corral or bale yard. The stuff just never seems to go away. But an entrepreneurial Alberta ranching family has come up with a solution to eliminate that problem with a […] Read more
Winter fruit, part 3: The versatility of apples
Apples add character to a dish, even when not the star ingredient
I first saw Meryl Streep in 1979 in Kramer vs. Kramer and then in Sophie’s Choice. Both earned her Oscars. A wonderful string of movies followed: Manhattan, Silkwood, The French Lieutenant’s Woman, The Hours and Out of Africa, to name a few. In 1990 at the Screen Actors’ Guild national women’s conference, Streep spoke out […] Read more
Make it drain: Is tile right for your fields?
A producer and an agrologist consider whether tile is worth your while
Tile drainage may be the best tool in the toolbox to manage saline soil in fields, a southwestern Manitoba farmer told an audience at the recent Ag Days farm show. Aaron Hargreaves, who co-owns Harwest Farms south of Brandon, said he and his four partners have struggled with soil salinity on their farm since they […] Read more
Oat producers call chlormequat report fear mongering
Environmental Working Group blames Canadian producers for residues of plant growth regulator found in oat products
The Prairie Oat Growers Association is pushing back against allegations that Canadian oats are contaminated with chemicals from a plant growth regulator.
Fruit growing on Prairie farms
Part 5 of a series on Prairie farm gardens
Fruit growing on the Canadian Prairies is much easier and more rewarding than most people ever imagine. I am an avid fruit grower on my Alberta acreage, growing everything from plums, pears, grapes, apples and cherries to currants and raspberries. You name it, I am growing it. I am familiar with backyard Prairie gardens all […] Read more